


I Don't Want You To Pretend Anymore

by Nyna_Rollins



Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Abusive Family, Abusive Parents, Age Difference, Alpha Thor, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Assistant Loki, CEO Thor, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Introspection, Light At the End Of the Tunnel, Loki needs all the hugs, M/M, Male Pregnancy, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Omega Loki, Smut, So much smut, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-01-30 10:23:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 136,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyna_Rollins/pseuds/Nyna_Rollins
Summary: Thor is the worst liar in existence.After receiving the news that his best friend is getting married, Thor panics when he's asked who he'll be bringing as his plus one, and immediately says the name of his omega assistant Loki, falling deeper and deeper into a hole that he dug for himself when everyone in Thor's life suddenly demands to meet the "love of his life".Suddenly, Loki is in every part of Thor's life -even the parts Thor wished he wasn't- and as time goes on he finds himself caring deeply for the intrepid assistant who went along with his lie.Call him crazy, but... there was just something about Loki that drew him in, the deeper they fell into this lie.And somewhere along the way, Thor realized that he didn't want them to pretend anymore.
Relationships: Loki & Thor, Loki & Thor (Marvel), Loki/Thor, Loki/Thor (Marvel)
Comments: 409
Kudos: 1050





	1. Just Go Along With It

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [cuz in a sky full of stars (i think i saw you)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3476741) by [wowoashley (orphan_account)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/wowoashley). 

> Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> This work came to me while I was rereading one of my FAVORITE fanfics, https://archiveofourown.org/works/3476741/chapters/7633259.
> 
> It is loosely based on the above fanfic, and inspired by it, but does not follow the plot, if that makes any sense.
> 
> ANYWAY, 
> 
> This is an idea that just came to me like... 4 days ago, and I just had to write it. I ended up loving it so much that I decided to share it with all of you, and can only help that you love it just as much as I loved writing it.
> 
> ***Quick Note***  
1) Norns are spiritual beings from Nordic mythology. In this story, everyone worships the Norns.  
2) In all my ABO stories, omegas are Wives/Mothers/Grandmothers, etc. It just makes so much more sense that I society that has had ABO tendencies since the dawn of time, would put more focus onto the secondary sex, since that determines how someone will reproduce, in ABO society. If you want to hear more about my headcannons for ABO society, or want to ask more questions about this, shoot me a comment and I'll get back to you on it.

## ☾✩☽

Thor could work for hours, and it would always feel like time went by in the blink of an eye.

He was the CEO over the American sector of Asgardian Enterprises, and although he didn’t own the company  _ yet _ -his father was the CEO over the entire thing- that was his goal.

He’d been working in his father’s company since he was 21, and he’d steadily worked his way up to becoming the CEO of the American sector, which was a position he’d been vying for his entire life.

He was currently 40, and didn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Of course, he was  _ also _ single, but… that wasn’t important. 

In a world where everyone was getting married around him, Thor kept working, knowing that more than anything, he didn’t really care about something like mating and having kids, and being responsible for people other than himself. 

So when his best friend of 30 years called him to tell him he was engaged, Thor was beside himself with shock.

He even had to take a small break from his work, completely beside himself with disbelief. “What the hell do you mean you’re getting married?”

His best friend Freyr laughed softly, amused by Thor's reaction. “I’m 38, Thor. I think it’s been a long time coming.”

Thor shook his head, trying to wrap his head around this. “I-I didn’t even know you and Gerd were that serious! You’ve only been dating her for-”

“5 Years. I’ve been dating her for 5 years, Thor.”

“...Oh.”

“Yeah. It took me some time, but… I know she’s the one for me.”

Thor exhaled softly, happy for his friend but still shocked that he was getting married. “And here I was thinking that we’d be eligible bachelors forever.”

Freyr let out a hearty laugh. “Thor, that was never my dream or a goal that I wanted to reach in life.” The man sighed softly then, his voice gentler than Thor had ever heard. “I want kids, Thor. And… and I want to marry the woman I believe completes me. Gerd is literally everything I’ve ever wanted, and we’re both in a place with our careers where we feel we can take a break, and focus on being married, and starting a family.”

Thor was silent for some time. “Freyr… I don’t really understand, but… but if you’re happy, then I’m happy. I’m proud of you, and… and I know that you’ll succeed in this endeavor just like you’ve succeeded in every other part of your life. You deserve all the happiness in the world.”

“Wow… thank you, Thor. That… that actually means a lot coming from you.”

Thor snorted, deciding that he would extend his break for a bit longer to talk to his friend. “So when’s the wedding?”

“In six months, in Hawaii. I was sort of hoping that you’d be my best man.”

Thor inhaled sharply, blown away by the honorable request. “Freyr… Freyr of  _ course _ I’ll be your best man! You didn’t even have to ask me.”

His friend laughed, amused yet touched. “I hope you know that means you’ll be  _ quite _ involved in this wedding.”

Snorting, Thor rolled his eyes, believing that the best man of the groom only had to plan the bachelor party. “What else do I have to do but plan a bachelor party?”

“Uh, help pick out tuxes for myself and the other groomsmen, be responsible for organizing where we’re all going to stay, pay for the groom’s gift, just to name a few. Look up the responsibilities online, Thor, there’s got to be a list somewhere out there.”

Thor huffed, mildly annoyed by the heavy involvement that would be required of him, but knowing that he would do whatever his best friend needed him to do in order to make his day special. “Well, I’ve got six months to plan. I’ll be alright.”

“That reminds me, who are you bringing to the wedding? I need to know now, so that Gerd and I can mail out the invitations.”

Thor’s face pinched into a frown as he weighed every option.

If he paid someone to go with him, it would be obvious that he did so, and that would only make things worse for him, and make him look bad. His mother would cry about how he was wasting his life away with “undesirable omegas” and bringing this proud family to shame, his aunts would keen about him being a bachelor forever, Freyr’s family would try and continue to set Thor up with one of Freyr’s cousins, and he really didn’t feel like dealing with any of that. 

If he went alone, he’d be the eligible bachelor of the event, and everyone would be swooning over him, trying to win his affection or set him up on dates with people that he could honestly not care less about.

He was leaning towards bringing his youngest brother as his date -the omega would love the opportunity to go to Hawaii- but figured he shouldn’t, as that wouldn’t stop people from trying to woo them  _ both _ .

Knowing his brother, he would take  _ full _ advantage of being the center of attention like he always did, and then Thor would be forced to protect his brother from questionable alphas all night.

“Uhhhh… I’m bringing…. uhhhh… ummm… my long term partner. Yes, my long term partner.”

Thor could almost picture the confusion on his best friend’s face.

“Wait, you’re dating someone? Who? And how long have you been dating them? I don’t remember you telling me about anyone.”

Thor babbled, trying to come up with a story. “Uh, yes, my partner. My boyfriend. Who is in fact, a real human being. That I love. Very much.”

“Wait, you  _ love _ this guy?!”

_ Shit _ .

“Uhhhh yes I do. I think?”

Freyr huffed in exasperation. “What the hell do you mean you think, Thor? Either you love him or you don’t. You better not be lying to me.”

“I’m not!” rushed Thor, standing up and beginning to pace nervously in his office. “I enjoy his company very much, and we’re even considering moving in together.”

“Norns, Thor… are you serious? Why didn’t you tell me about him?”

Thor’s eyes were as wide as a deer caught in headlights, and he panicked, cursing himself for digging himself further into this situation. “It’s only been six months. We’re… being cautious. Cautiously happy.”

“Huh… well I can’t say that I’m surprised. You are a very private person.” He heard Freyr sigh then. “What’s his name? I’d love to know more about him.”

Loki chose that exact moment to walk into Thor’s office, tablet in hand as he scrolled through Thor’s endless schedule. “Mr. Odinson, you have a 3:30 meeting with-”

“Loki! His name is Loki!”

Loki widened his eyes in incredulity at Thor, mouthing  _ “What the hell?” _ at the alpha.

_ “Just go with it!” _ mouthed Thor, turning his attention back to Freyr. “His name is Loki Laufeyson, and he’s tall, a-and has raven hair, and the palest skin, a-and,” Thor looked Loki up and down, trying to come up with a believable compliment. “And he has the most impeccable style. He’s actually helped me dress better. We’re very happy.”

Loki’s eyes widened in confusion and shock even more, and he inhaled sharply, staring at Thor like he had three heads.

What the hell was the alpha  _ doing _ ?

Freyr laughed softly, happy to hear that Thor was happy. “Well that sounds amazing Thor. You have always dressed quite odd.”

Thor cleared his throat, trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. “Yes, well Loki helps me with that. Everyday. Because we’re dating. He is a real person.”

Freyr snorted then. “Thor, if Loki isn’t real, just tell me. You are literally the  _ worst _ liar I’ve ever met.”

“H-He’s real! He’s right next to me actually, I can do a quick video call with us to show you.”

Loki squawked, not understanding what was happening. He was quickly yanked against Thor’s side, and thrust into the front of the camera on his phone, next to the alpha.

“See, this is Loki.”

Loki took notice of the alpha on screen, putting on a dazzling smile, and waving. “Hello!” He looked at Thor’s desk, noticing a framed picture of Thor and this alpha, and realizing that this must be his best friend Freyr. “You must be Freyr! Thor speaks a lot about you.”

Freyr laughed, waving back at Loki. “Wow, I’m surprised that you’re actually real. I thought Thor was joking.”

Loki shot Thor a thinly veiled pissed off look before turning back to the camera. “Yep, I’m real.” He laughed nervously then, trying to come up with a way to get himself out of this before he slaughtered Thor for dragging him into whatever this was. “What did he say about us, exactly?”

Freyr raised an inquiring eyebrow up at the omega. “He said you were his boyfriend. Are you not?”

“No, no we’re dating!” rushed Loki, saving Thor’s ass. “I just didn’t know that he was comfortable giving us a title. We haven’t even introduced each other to our families yet. I’m sure you know how private he is.”

Freyr laughed heartily, pleased. “Well I’m glad I was able to meet you, Loki. Hey, why don’t you guys meet Gerd and I for dinner tonight? I know she’d be over the moon to meet you, Loki.”

Loki offered a strained smile, not knowing who Gerd was, but nodding anyway. “Yes, yes of course. Alpha, would you like to go to dinner tonight?” asked Loki pointedly, trying to signal with his eyes that Thor was supposed to say no.

Thor gulped nervously, looking back and forth between Freyr’s hopeful face, and Loki’s thinly veiled threat of being cursed out if he agreed.

He decided that breaking his best friend’s heart was something that he just couldn’t do, and he nodded, pretending that Loki stepping on his foot didn’t hurt. “Yes, Loki and I would love to join you for dinner. How does 7 at the Marriot sound?”

“That sounds perfect! I’ll call and make a reservation. We’ll see you there.” Freyr turned to look at Loki then, excited to meet him. “We’re looking forward to meeting you, Loki.”

“I am too!” assured Loki, smiling even though he felt like throwing Thor out the window. “See you tonight!”

“Yes, yes, we’ll see you tonight, Freyr,” rushed Thor, moving to end the call.

Once it was over Loki groaned, stomping on Thor’s foot again. “What the hell was  _ that _ ?!”

Thor hissed, glaring back at Loki. “What the hell was that? You almost broke my toe!”

“You’re lucky I didn’t throw you out the window! What was that about?! Why did you say we were dating?!”

Sighing, Thor finally sat down, looking away from the omega’s withering look. “My best friend is getting married in 6 months, and he asked who I was bringing to the wedding, so I panicked and said I was dating someone, and then he pressured me for more information and you walked through the door, and…”

Loki couldn’t resist, rolling his eyes and setting his tablet on Thor’s desk so that he could cross his arms. “Mr. Odinson, I am your  _ assistant _ . Need I remind you that a relationship like ours would be against the law, if it was in fact real?”

Thor exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Loki, I know this. I panicked. Just, go to dinner with me tonight, and then I’ll tell him that we broke up next week, and we’ll never speak of this again.”

“Mr. Odinson, that won’t work. You introduced me to him, and he has undoubtedly told this “Gerd” about me as well, who might tell other people. So by the end of tonight, we don’t know  _ how _ many people will know about our “relationship” because of your lie.”

Thor didn’t respond, so Loki sighed, sitting down in front of Thor’s desk. “Besides, you already said that I was coming with you to the wedding, and that’s in 6 months. So this lie has to at least continue on that long. Then after the wedding, you can lie and say that I wanted a ring but you weren’t ready to give me one, so we took a break. Forever.”

Thor couldn’t help but groan, his work for the hour forgotten. “ _ Norns _ , what did I get myself into?”

“I want my pay doubled for this.”

The alpha waved his hand, agreeing to whatever Loki wanted. “Fine, fine, I’ll double your salary until this is over.”

Loki nodded definitively, crossing his arms again. “What exactly did you tell him, Mr. Odinson? I need to know so that I don’t mess up at dinner tonight.”

“I told him that we’ve been dating for 6 months, and that we loved each other, and that we were thinking of moving in together. And he knows my family  _ very _ well, so my mother will probably be calling any moment-”

Just as he expected, his phone began to ring, and he sighed, answering it. “Hello, Mother.”

“Thor, why didn’t you tell me you were in a serious union? Freyr tells me that you’re moving in with this omega, and I haven’t even met him.”

Thor pinched at the bridge of his nose once more, berating himself again and again for getting himself into this predicament. “We’re not moving in together, Mother. We’ve only tossed the idea around.”

Frigga scoffed, not satisfied with Thor’s answer. “And throughout the past 6 months, you never  _ once _ considered introducing him to me?”

Thor could hear how hurt his mother was. “We just got serious not too long ago, Mother. And I don’t want to bring anyone around the family that I’m not planning on marrying. Please do not be offended.”

“...Well alright. But I would at least like to meet him. Send me his contact information so that we can meet up for brunch next week.”

“Mother, I don’t think that’s necessary-”

“ _ Nonsense _ , Thor. I want to meet someone who is important to my son. Send me his contact information.”

Thor groaned when his mother ended the call, knowing that this would only piss Loki off more. “My mother wants to meet with you next week for brunch.”

“ _ What?! _ ”

“Just go with it, Loki. I-I’ll triple your salary, if for the next 6 months, you just go along with whatever we’re coerced into doing.”

Loki frowned, calculating how much he would get paid for playing along. 

He earned about $40,000 a year without the annual bonuses, so that meant he’d be getting $80,000  _ alone _ , just for doing this.

A wicked grin spread across his face then. “Deal.”

Thor sighed in relief, thankful that Loki was agreeing to go along with this.

“Now that this is over, I’m here to remind you once again about your 3:30 meeting that starts in 2 minutes.”

Thor hurriedly looked at his watch, muttering a string of curses and grabbing his laptop. “Come on.”

Loki stood up and followed Thor to the designated meeting room on their floor, beginning to think about how they would do this.

Realistically, this would mean that he wouldn’t be able to date anyone for the next 6 months, publically.

He’d also have to grow more comfortable with his boss, as they’d undoubtedly have to touch, hug intimately, and kiss while they were in front of other people.

Loki almost spat his tongue out in disgust at the thought of having to kiss Thor.

His boss was the singlehanded most  _ insufferable _ man alive, and if this job didn’t have such great benefits, Loki would have left a  _ long _ time ago. He was rude, he was snappy, he was self-absorbed, the list could go on and on, and Loki found his mood sinking as he realized he would have to be around his boss more than he actually wanted.

Maybe he could apply to be in a different department after this was over; then he’d be free of Thor, and would be able to rise within the ranks of the company.

He’d also have an extra $80,000 dollars in his pocket too, which made this all worth it to him. With that money, he’d be able to get a leg up in the world, and move to a better side of the city, get a better car, pay off student loans.

He continued to think about what he and Thor were going to do throughout the entirety of this meeting, and once it was over, he followed Thor back to his office, shutting and locking the door behind them. “Mr. Odinson. We need to discuss what we’re going to do about tonight.”

Thor sighed, sitting down in his chair. “Norns… what now?”

Loki raised a challenging eyebrow at Thor. “We need to spend the next two hours learning whatever we can about the other. If we go to dinner and they ask us questions, if we don’t answer, your friend will know you made this all up.” 

“Fine,” muttered Thor, massaging his temples and hoping to alleviate his mounting headache. “Tell me about yourself.”

“How old am I?”

“25.”

“Where did I graduate?”

“Jotunheim, class of 20XX.”

“How many siblings do I have?”

“Two, both older brothers, 5 and 7 years older than you.”

Loki hummed, surprised that Thor knew a bit about him. “I’m surprised you know something about me.”

“You’re my assistant. I need to know certain things about you. Now what do you know about me?”

Loki cleared his throat, beginning to recite everything he knew about his boss. “Your name is Thor Odinson, you’re 40, childless, unmarried, and have been at the company since your twenties. You hope to one day take over for your father and run the entire company, on a global scale. You don’t want to get married or have children because you feel like they’re a waste of time. You have three brothers, Hermod, Hodr, and Baldur, ages 35, 28, and 23, respectively. All of you attended Midgard, and your brother Hermod is married with two children. Your brother Hodr is engaged, and your brother Baldur is single. You like just a hint of sugar in your coffee, you sleep on your left side, and you hate pointless conversation.”

Thor was surprised that Loki knew so much about him. “Why do you know so much about me?”

“Because you pay me to,” answered Loki, scrolling through his phone to get to his notes. “I found a list of questions online that anyone in a relationship should know about each other. We’ll go back and forth until dinner tonight, quizzing each other.”

This seemed to be the only way they were going to make this believable, so Thor agreed, going back and forth with Loki until 6.

By the end of it, he knew more about Loki than he’d ever known in the year that he’d had the omega as an assistant, and was shocked to find out that Loki loved romance movies and had an unbearable sweet tooth, or that he kicked in his sleep sometimes or did yoga every morning before work.

Once Loki believed that he and Thor knew enough about each other, he finished quizzing him, looking out at the setting sun. “We should probably go. Before that though, there’s something else we need to work on.”

Thor stood up, grabbing his coat and putting it on. “What?”

“Intimacy. Our first kiss can’t be tonight, and we can’t just hold hands out of nowhere, without blowing our cover.” Loki made a face here. “As much as it pains me to kiss you and be close physically, you’ve already roped me into this, so I’ll be damned if I miss out on my pay increase because you can’t make this believable.” 

Thor frowned, wrapping his scarf around his neck. “Why does the thought of kissing me disgust you so much? I’m an attractive man with an impressive physique. There’s nothing wrong with me.”

“ _ That’s _ wrong with you,” muttered Loki, making his way over to Thor. “I promise I won’t file a sexual harassment charge, so hold me close and kiss me for a few seconds.”

Thor looked down at Loki for a bated breath, observing him. 

Loki was in no way shape or form unappealing, and was  _ very _ attractive, if Thor was to be honest with himself.

But after getting to know the sassy and snappy omega, Thor had quickly lost interest. “Fine. Close your eyes.”

Loki exhaled in frustration and closed his eyes, jumping slightly when he felt Thor’s lips plant against his awkwardly.

As soon as they touched his, the alpha pulled back, and then awkwardly hugged Loki, patting at his back. “There. We’ve hugged and kissed. Let’s go.”

Loki shot Thor an unimpressed look. “Mr. Odinson, that was the most  _ pathetic _ kiss I have ever received. My first kiss in Kindergarten was better than that.”

Thor scoffed, crossing his arms. “That kiss was  _ fine _ , Loki. They aren’t going to want to see us inhale each other’s faces.”

“Yes, but they  _ are _ going to want to see some familiarity. A stiff kiss like that will break our cover, and I  _ want _ my money.”

Before Thor could speak, Loki had planted his lips against his, and rendered him shocked and speechless.

Loki pulled away, getting annoyed. “Mr. Odinson, please try. This won’t work if you act so stiff and nervous.”

Thor took a measured breath, telling himself that this  _ was _ all his fault, and he couldn’t blow their cover this soon.

“Fine.”

Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around Loki intimately as if he would to someone he loved, and kissed him, relieved when Loki kissed him back.

He kissed Loki until the weirdness of it all left him, and he no longer felt creeped out.

Loki wrapped his arms around Thor’s upper torso, deepening their kiss, and telling himself that this was all for $80,000 dollars.

He was lucky that Thor wasn’t a gross, sleazy alpha, so he kissed him like he would someone he didn’t want to say goodbye to, surprised when Thor’s hand moved to the small of his back, pulling him closer.

Before their tongues could come into the mix, Thor pulled away, satisfied that any kissing that needed to be done would now be believable. “There. Is that good enough, Your Highness?”

Loki nodded, wiping at his lips and shooting Thor a withering look. “That’s fine.”

He swallowed nervously then, and grabbed his things, making his way out of Thor’s office. “I’ll meet you at the restaurant.”

Thor followed him, and together they made their way out of the building, heading to their seperate cars.

Thor arrived first, and met Freyr and his fiancee Gerd inside, greeting the couple. “Hey! Congratulations on your engagement. I’m very happy for you both.”

Gerd beamed at Thor, proudly showing off her ring. “I almost fainted when I saw the ring! He must’ve saved up  _ months _ for this.”

“I did,” chuckled Freyr anxiously, pulling at the collar of his shirt. “We can’t all be rich businessmen like Thor.”

Gerd tutted, patting at Freyr’s chest affectionately. “Even if you had nothing, I would still love you.”

The pair shared an affectionate kiss, before setting their sights on Thor.

“Thor, why didn’t you tell anyone you had a serious partner? You know you don’t have to hide anything from us,” asked Gerd, taking a sip of her drink. “I honestly thought you were joking when Freyr told me. Does he really exist?”

Thor began to get nervous again, knowing that he was a  _ terrible _ liar. “Yes, he-” He happened to look up then, relieved when his eyes locked with Loki, who was making his way towards him. “He’s actually right here.”

Loki accepted Thor’s offer for a hug and leaned in, meeting him for a kiss, just like they’d rehearsed. “Hey. Sorry I’m late.”

Thor shook his head, hand resting on the small of Loki’s back to encourage him into the booth. “You didn’t miss much. We just got here.”

Loki smiled when he saw Freyr and Gerd, reaching out a hand. “I’m relieved I’m able to finally meet you both. Thor’s so shy and private sometimes.”

The pair laughed, agreeing with him. “We didn’t even know about you until today, to tell the truth.” answered Freyr, shooting Thor a look. “Thor kept you well hidden from us.”

“Well I won’t be satisfied with being hidden anymore. Right, Alpha?”

Thor choked on his drink when Loki called him this. “Uh, yes, yes. No more hiding.”

Loki shot Thor a look before rolling his eyes, accepting that he would have to do the bulk of the effort for convincing everyone that they were together. “Now let me see your ring, Gerd. I can only imagine how excited you are.”

Gerd smiled, proudly showing off her ring. “He knows me so well. I can’t wait to wear this for the rest of my life, as a testament to our love.”

Loki hummed, eyeing the nicely sized ring. “Wow. That is a  _ lovely _ ring. I find myself faintly jealous, to tell the truth.”

The female omega tutted then, taking Loki’s hand and squeezing it gently. “I’m sure there will be a ring in your future soon. If Thor has actually brought someone to meet us, that goes to show how important you are to him.”

Loki hummed softly and squeezed her hand back, not wanting to be rude. “Well I won’t rush him. If he wants to marry me, he’ll ask. I can wait.”

“Just not too long, eh?” joked Freyr, earning a laugh from everyone at the table but Thor.

Loki stepped on Thor’s foot again to jar him out of his mind, and he laughed nervously, sipping at his drink again. “Marriage is  _ quite _ far in the distance, everyone. Let’s not give Loki any hope.”

This was probably the  _ dumbest _ thing Thor could have said, and Loki had to stop his eyes from rolling. 

Dammit, Thor.

Freyr and Gerd looked at Loki in worry, knowing that Thor’s comment undoubtedly hurt him. 

“Gosh Thor, take it easy on him.” chastised Freyr, shooting a fearsome glare his way.

Gerd tutted, reaching out to take Loki’s hand again. “Don’t feel sad, Loki. It took Freyr some time before he was ready to propose, too. Be patient.”

Loki smiled softly, touched by her words. “Thank you. I’ll try and keep that in mind.”

Thor couldn’t understand how this was so easy for Loki.

He didn’t even know what to  _ say _ , too nervous that he’d make up another lie and fall deeper into the hole he dug for himself. 

“So, Loki, how did you two meet?”

Loki hummed softly, taking Thor’s hand and intertwining their fingers, thankful that the alpha didn’t try and yank his hand away. “I was his assistant. When we finally decided to date, I moved to our marketing department, so that we could be together.”

Gerd gushed at this, making puppy dog eyes at the pair. “ _ Norns _ , that’s adorable. How long did it take to say I love you?”

“Not long. Three months, maybe? Believe it or not, Thor said it first.”

Thor gasped when Loki said this, wondering why the omega was making him out to be a big sap. 

Before he could protest, Freyr and Gerd were laughing, shooting amused looks Thor’s way. 

Freyr seemed ecstatic though, so Thor went along with it, grinning and bearing it.

The whole dinner went much like this, with Loki talking for both of them, and answering any and all questions the pair had for them. 

After dinner and before dessert, Gerd stood up to head to the restroom, and asked if Loki wanted to come too.

Thor didn't understand why omegas always went to the bathroom together, but moved out of the booth so that Loki could follow her, before sitting back down.

Now that they were alone, Freyr raised an eyebrow at the alpha, wondering what was wrong. “Thor? Are you all alright? You’ve barely spoken all night.”

Thor nodded, quickly thinking of an excuse. “I’m just nervous… I really want you both to like Loki.”

Freyr’s gaze softened then. “And we do, Thor. He’s lovely. I just think that you could be nicer to him. The omega is obviously smitten with you. You won’t find that every day.”

Thor swallowed nervously, wondering how he was supposed to convey that he was actually dating the omega so that no one thought they were lying. 

“Why don’t you and Loki come with us in two weeks to the Cayman Islands? It can be a couples trip. I’m sure Loki would love to go with you.”

Thor was nodding in agreement before he could stop himself, and he mentally cursed at himself again, hating how he could never say no to his best friend. “Sure, I’m sure Loki will love to go.”

“Where would I love to go?” asked Loki, arriving back at the table with Gerd.

“To the Cayman Islands. Freyr invited us to go, and I said yes.”

Loki widened his eyes in mock happiness, actually  _ fuming _ on the inside. “Oh, that sounds like so much fun. We’d love to go. Thank you for inviting us, Freyr.”

Freyr nodded, overjoyed that they would get the opportunity to get to know Loki better.

They didn’t stay too long after dessert, and after saying goodbye to the couple, Thor walked Loki to his car for appearance's sake.

He knew the omega was pissed at him and sighed once they reached his door. “I’ll pay you for your missed time, Loki.  _ And _ give you overtime pay for the missed days. The week that we’re there won’t dip into your paid vacation days either.”

This immediately zapped away Loki’s anger, and he hummed, excited about being able to go on a trip to the islands, while being  _ paid _ for it, and getting overtime pay on top of it.

Thor’s lie would make sure Loki had a  _ great _ rest of the year, financially. “Thank you. I wouldn’t expect anything less than that.”

He kissed Thor goodbye then, not knowing if anyone was watching. “I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”

Thor returned his kiss, a hand coming up to rest on Loki’s hip. “Get home safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Loki was surprised that Thor cared enough to say that, but didn’t say anything, nodding his head and getting into his car.

Thor closing the door for him surprised him further, but he went with it, figuring that the alpha was finally realizing he actually had to play an active role to make their relationship seem believable.

He humped then, pulling out of his parking space.

Thor was the one who got them into this, and Loki would be  _ damned _ if the alpha got in the way of him getting his money.

☾✩☽

Loki didn’t think anything of he and Thor’s fake relationship until a week later, when Thor’s mother reached out to him.

He didn’t know who it was at first, and walked to the break room on his floor, answering.

“Hello?”

“Loki! Hello dear, this is Thor’s mother. How are you?”

Loki’s mouth fell open, shocked that she’d managed to get his information. “Good! Yes, I am splendid now that I’m talking to you, Ms. Frigga. How are  _ you _ ?”

He heard Thor’s mother laugh. “I’m quite well dear, thank you. I was actually calling to see if you’re free tomorrow afternoon? I would love to meet with you for brunch.”

Loki originally planned on doing nothing but sleeping in Saturday afternoon, but he  _ also _ didn’t want to jeopardize he and Thor’s fake relationship.

The better he did at pretending to date Thor, the more money he would get, and the happier he would be.

He would gladly put his love life on hold for the next 6 months if it meant he was getting $80,000 dollars out of this.

“Norns Ms. Frigga, I would  _ love  _ to! I’ve been pestering Thor to let me meet you for the longest now. I don’t know why he's so keen on hiding me.”

“That’s splendid, dear! Why don’t we make this a family event? I’ll invite Thor’s brothers as well; I’m sure they’d love to meet you.”

Loki had a horrified look on his face then.

_ Shit _ .

“Uh…  _ sure _ , that sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to meet all of you. What time were you wanting us to come over?”

Frigga hummed for a moment. “Is 3 fine, dear?”

“How about I check in with Thor, and then call you back?”

“That works too, dear. Please don’t let Thor weasel his way out of this one.”

Loki could hear the desperation and pleading in her tone, and he felt bad, getting the sense that what was going to happen tomorrow had never happened before. “I won’t, Ms. Frigga. Even if I have to drag him there myself.”

He could tell that this raised her spirits, and smiled, deciding that he would do his best to make their relationship seem as real as possible and that he would be himself around Thor’s family and friends.

It wasn’t their fault that Thor pulled them both into this. 

“That’s wonderful, Loki. I can’t wait to see you both. Ta-ta!”

Loki said goodbye and hung up, sighing to himself before making his way to Thor’s office and knocking on the door. “Mr. Odinson?”

Thor called out for him to come in, so Loki entered, closing the door.

The alpha looked up once he heard the door close, seeing that Loki had a pensive look on his face. “What is it, Loki?”

“Your mother called me, and wants us to have brunch with your family tomorrow at 3.”

Thor frowned, not happy to hear this. “Norns… okay. What do you want? Overtime pay?”

Loki nodded. “Yes. Anytime we go out on an outing outside of work, I want overtime pay.”

Thor waved his hand, dismissing Loki. “Fine, fine. I’ll send you the address later.”

“Don’t you think we should arrive together? For appearance's sake?”

Frown growing larger by the second, Thor looked back up at Loki, cursing himself for getting them both into this situation. “Fine. Text me your address, I’ll pick you up at 2:30, tomorrow.”

Loki could see that Thor was in his “workflow” so he sighed, leaving him alone and exiting his office. 

He admittedly felt nervous about the brunch tomorrow -Thor’s mother seemed like such a nice woman- and he didn’t want to get Thor’s family’s hopes up, just to bring them down 6 months from now.

He shook his head to clear those thoughts from his head though, and told himself that this was all Thor’s fault.

The alpha would be the one to have to dig himself out of this one whenever they officially “broke up”.

☾✩☽


	2. I... Don't Understand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YALL when I tell you the latter half of this chapter was so cringy and hard to write XD
> 
> LOOOOOOORD
> 
> Anyway, here is chapter two. I am not exactly certain about how much I will update this story, as I am still concepting for it, and trying to determine where I want the plot to go exactly. I just was so excited to share it, hence it being uploaded a mere 4 days after writing.

☾✩☽

Thor hated himself for doing this to his family.

He was bombarded by texts from everyone in it once they heard that he was bringing Loki to the family brunch, and by the time the day rolled around, aunts, uncles, and cousins had invited themselves to the brunch, each of them eager to see Thor’s partner.

Of course, he didn’t tell Loki that his entire family decided to show up tomorrow, but… he’d just double Loki’s overtime pay, and they’d deal with it together.

After picking Loki up Saturday afternoon, Thor made his way over to his family estate, parking in their massive driveway, and getting out of the car to help Loki open his door.

Loki was blown away by the excessive size of the home and property, and looked around in awe, shocked that Thor’s family-owned acres and acres of land that was this pompous and showy. “Norns… this is amazing.”

Thor hummed softly, taking Loki’s hand and helping him out of the car. “I suppose.”

Loki finally took notice of all of the cars in the driveway and the property and frowned, looking up at Thor. “Surely all of these cars don’t belong to your family?”

“...They do. My extended family invited themselves to the brunch today when they heard that I was bringing the “love of my life” over.”

Loki paled considerably, whacking Thor on the chest. “What the  _ hell _ , Thor! You didn’t tell me that! I-I would’ve dressed better, or done something else with my hair! Dammit, I-”

“You look  _ fine _ , Loki.” assured Thor, closing the door of his car. “Now come on, I want to get in and out as  _ soon _ as possible. I don’t want to be here longer than we have to be.”

Before the pair could head to the front door, Thor heard someone call out to him, and he turned, plastering on a fake smile when he saw his aunt and her family. “Aunt Gretta! So happy to see you.”

Thor’s aunt laughed with joy, ignoring Thor completely and pulling Loki into her arms. “Norns, you’re so  _ beautiful _ , hun! How did an old grumpy pants like Thor manage to convince you to date him?”

Loki snorted, hugging the woman back politely. “He won me over on the days he wasn’t so grumpy and stubborn.”

“Well I’m sure those days are few and far between, hun!” laughed Thor’s aunt, which caused Loki to break out in laughter as well. “You are right about that. I had to force him to come today.”

Thor’s aunt tutted, swatting Thor’s shoulder and chastising him. “Thor, stop hiding him from us. You should never be ashamed of your partner!”

Thor frowned, hugging his aunt out of respect. “He’s not the one I’m ashamed of.”

“Oh hush,” responded his aunt, before releasing Thor and gesturing for the pair to follow her.

Loki nodded politely at Thor’s cousins and uncle before entering the massive home, completely blown away by the grandeur of it all. 

There was no doubt that this was a billionaire's home.

Thor grabbed Loki’s hand and intertwined their fingers, leading him outside to their family’s huge outdoor kitchen and dining room.

His mother spotted the pair immediately and began to laugh, rushing over to greet them.

Thor opened his arms to hug his mother, shocked when she bypassed him completely and hugged Loki instead. “Loki! Norns, how it warms my heart to finally see your face! You’re absolutely  _ stunning _ , dear! Absolutely stunning!”

Loki blushed at the praise, hugging Thor’s mother back warmly. “Hello, Ms. Frigga. I’m happy we finally get to meet each other.”

Frigga pulled back and kissed Loki’s cheek, squealing and hugging him tight once more. “Norns, I thought this day would never come!”

It admittedly hurt Thor to see how excited his mother was about this relationship, as she and everyone else didn’t know it was fake. 

Nevertheless, he played his part, and hugged his mother, kissing her cheek. “Hello to you too, Mother.”

“ _ Nonsense _ , Thor. It’s not every day that your beloved comes to see us.”

Thor almost said Loki wasn’t even that special, before snapping his mouth shut, knowing how rude that would come across.

“Anne? This is Loki, Thor’s partner. Won’t you come to say hi?”

Thor watched as Loki was whisked away, off to be introduced to various members of his family, and feeling bittersweet about the whole thing.

Maybe after he and Loki “broke up”, it was time for him to finally look for someone to settle down with.

“Well you’ve finally done it, boy.” gruffed Thor’s father, clasping at his shoulder. “Your mother and I thought we’d never see this day.”

“Right?” laughed his brother Hermod, clasping at Thor’s other shoulder. “I thought Baldur would marry before him.”

“I might,” tutted Thor’s youngest brother, who had come to stand in front of Thor. “No one wants to marry an old man.”

Thor scoffed, annoyed with the sudden appearance of his family. “Hey! I am 40, not 85. There is plenty of time for me to settle down.”

“No one wants to have an old man’s child, Thor,” answered Baldur, shooting him a look. “I can’t imagine it, having an old man’s sperm impregnating me.  _ Yuck _ !” he shuddered for dramatic effect, making Thor roll his eyes and shove him playfully. “Oh shut up, Baldur.”

“Well he is right,” murmured Hodr, his other younger brother. “You can’t wait forever, Thor. Sooner or later, some alpha that doesn’t have commitment issues like you is going to whisk Loki away, up and out of your arms forever.”

They all stared at Loki then, who was laughing hysterically with a group of his aunts and cousins.

Seeing Loki so happy was surprising for Thor, as… he had never seen Loki like this.

The omega was bent over in laughter, his face red as he gasped for air and begged Thor’s family to stop saying whatever joke they were telling him, and the sun was hitting his raven hair  _ just _ right, and…

And he looked stunning.

In every sense of the word.

He felt a shiver run down his spine and hurriedly looked away then, a slight blush to his cheeks.

He’d actually thought Loki was beautiful for a moment.

“Aw look at him, he’s blushing!” called out Hermod, which snapped Thor from his thoughts. 

He cleared his throat and steadied his voice, not wanting to sound embarrassed. “I am  _ not _ blushing.”

“He was looking at Loki and smiling softly. The omega already has his heart.” joked Hodr, a proud look in his eyes. 

“It’s about damn time,” gruffed Thor’s father, crossing his arms. “The bachelor life is a lonely life to live.”

Hearing this struck a chord within Thor, and… and it hurt.

Because as much as he hated to admit it … it was true.

“I’m going to go talk to him. He seems quite entertaining, and I want to laugh with everyone,” stated Thor’s brother Baldur, and Thor watched him walk over to the flock of omegas, inserting himself and wildly explaining something that had the group screaming in laughter not even a minute later.

Now Thor  _ had _ to know what was causing them to laugh so much, and he strode over to them, slipping a hand around Loki’s waist and pulling him closer so that he could kiss his temple. “What are you all laughing so hard at?”

Loki wheezed, still trying to catch his breath. “Your mother was just telling us about the time you were 5, and called the house of your first crush to tell his parents that you were going to marry him during recess the next day.”

Frigga and her sisters broke out into laughter again, each of them remembering how serious Thor had been. “He was so sure of himself too, bless his heart. He actually told the boy’s father that he would make sure that he gave his son all the snacks he wanted during snack time, and protect him from mean alphas on the playground.”

Everyone was laughing again, and Thor blushed, remembering this exact event. 

“Oh, oh, what about the time he got jealous of Hermod hugging you, Frigga, and pushed him away, saying that you were his mommy and his mommy forever?” brought up Thor’s aunt Gretta, causing everyone to cackle again.

Loki thought this was absolutely  _ adorable _ , and began to laugh, shooting Thor an amused look. “Now you’ve  _ got _ to tell me about that, Ms. Gretta.”

“ _ Gladly _ , hun! It was when Hermod was two, and Thor was seven. He was still quite jealous of Hermod, and when the young toddler went to hug Frigga one day at a family reunion, Thor got jealous and ran across this backyard, yelling about Frigga being his mommy, and no one else could hug her but him. He ended up shoving the poor toddler out of Frigga’s arms, and when he got reprimanded for doing so, he began to cry about how he didn’t want his mother to stop loving him! It was  _ so _ adorable, Loki, I swear. It was the cutest thing.”

Loki broke out into the biggest grin, trying to imagine this in his head, and his heart actually melting at the memory. “That’s adorable.” 

“Oh, Oh, what about Thor’s first word?” exclaimed his mother’s other sister Hilda.

“Now I’ve  _ got _ to hear this.” snickered Loki, knowing that this story would be good.

“Okay, enough embarrassing stories about me,” interrupted Thor, absolutely mortified. “I’m sure Loki doesn’t want to hear anymore.”

“Oh hush,” answered Loki, pinching at Thor’s side playfully. “Just one more.”

Thor grumbled and looked away, so his aunt began to tell the tale.

“Oh, he was the most  _ adorable _ baby, Loki. He had the roundest cheeks, and the most  _ adorable _ golden hair, with big doe eyes. And throughout his earliest months, he was  _ loathe _ to leave Odin’s side, so his father would often let him rest in his lap while he worked when he was home, and anyone who knows Odin knows he has a foul mouth.”

“So here we are, having family dinner and Thor is eight months old. Little baby Thor is sitting in his father’s lap, and Odin accidentally knocked over his glass of water, and cursed under his breath. And not even a  _ second _ later, baby Thor is exclaiming “fuck!” loudly, to everyone’s shock. So naturally we all break down laughing, and this only encourages Thor, who keeps repeating “fuck!” like a parrot, giggling all the while. Oh, we laughed about that one for  _ years _ .”

Everyone was  _ rolling _ with laughter at the memory -Loki included- and Thor couldn’t help but laugh too, still feeling a bit mortified by the story. “Norns… okay, no more embarrassing stories. I still need Loki to love me after this.”

Loki smiled softly, looking up at Thor and smirking. “There’s not much you could do to get me to stop.”

He stretched up to kiss Thor then, and Thor was surprised to find himself closing his eyes, and kissing Loki back.

They separated and smiled at each other, and Thor was shocked to find that his heart skipped a beat when Loki smiled up at him.

He quickly cleared his throat and looked away, averting his gaze from his mother and aunts, who were gazing at them in pride. “Why don’t we sit down to eat?”

Frigga smiled softly at her son and called out to everyone, letting them know that brunch was ready.

Attendants began to pass out the food once everyone was sitting down around the large rectangular table, and Loki was excited to see that they were eating french toast, eggs, and bacon. 

“Norns, this is my favorite meal. I can’t wait to dig in.”

Frigga smiled softly, rubbing at his arm. “I know. Thor told me, so I had it catered in.”

Loki widened his eyes in disbelief, turning to look at Thor.

The alpha was averting his gaze, and Loki was honestly surprised that Thor had requested something so sweet. “Alpha… you didn’t have to.”

Thor looked over at him, nervous when he saw the genuine surprise and awe on Loki’s face. “I wanted you to be comfortable while meeting my family…”

The biggest grin spread across Loki’s face then, and for the second time that day, Thor felt his heart skip a beat.

“Norns, he’s got the most heart-stopping smile,” cooed one of Thor’s aunts, causing everyone to look over at Loki.

The omega began to laugh and blushed, embarrassed to have all the attention on him. 

“Well he’s taken,” grunted Thor, beginning to eat.

Everyone began to laugh, and dug into their meals as well, joking with each other, and filling Loki in on everything there was to know about Thor.

The way the alpha’s family was describing him made him sound…  _ human _ , and Loki couldn’t help but stare at Thor differently.

Thor caught his gaze and smiled at him, and Loki found that he genuinely smiled back. 

They admittedly had a moment, before Loki turned away, telling himself that they were pretending, and this was all because Thor dug himself into a hole that he didn’t know how to get out of.

Yes, what he felt at that moment wasn’t really real.

☾✩☽

They ended up staying at Thor’s family’s house until 6, and by then Loki had exchanged numbers with all of Thor’s aunts, all of his brothers, his father, and a few of his cousins, with two of Thor’s uncles letting him know that they would “handle” Thor if he ever broke Loki’s heart.

All in all, meeting Thor’s family had been a success, and Loki found that he couldn’t stop smiling on the ride home, pleased that he actually enjoyed himself.

“You know, you have a lovely family, Mr. Odinson. When we break up, and you find someone you believe you’re meant to be with, you shouldn’t hesitate to do this again. I’m sure your family will love whoever it is if they could love me and my rotten personality.”

“You don’t have a rotten personality…”

Loki turned to look at Thor and raised an eyebrow up at him, waiting for an explanation.

And the alpha didn’t offer one, choosing to stare straight ahead at the road, and trying to ignore why his heart was hurting when Loki mentioned them breaking up.

This was all pretend, anyway.

☾✩☽

Other than work, Loki didn’t see Thor until it was time for them to leave for their couple's trip with Freyr and Gerd.

They met up with the pair at the airport and made their way to the plane, arriving later that day around 3pm.

Agreeing to meet up for dinner, they separated, with Freyr and Gerd heading to their room, and Loki and Thor heading to theirs.

Thor was shocked to see a king bed in the center of the room instead of two full-sized beds, and frowned, setting down his things. “There’s only one bed.”

Loki rolled his eyes and pushed passed him, setting his suitcase onto their bed. “That’s because we’re a “couple” and couples sleep in the same bed.”

Oh.

Thor didn’t say anything, and began to unpack his things too, hanging them up in the closet.

They would be here for a week, and he didn’t want his shirts or pants getting wrinkled. 

_ “Shit!” _

Thor raised an eyebrow at Loki, wondering what was wrong. “What’s wrong?”

Loki ignored him, continuing to hurriedly search through his bag for his heat suppressants. “Shit. I’m a fucking idiot, Norns have mercy.”

“Loki, what’s wrong? If you forgot something, we can run to the store and get it.”

“I can’t find my heat suppressants! I think I left them at home on accident!”

Thor inhaled sharply, rushing over to Loki’s side and beginning to search through his bag as well. “Why didn’t you tell me your heat was coming this week?! I would’ve postponed this trip!”

“Because I’m on suppressants!” hissed Loki, glaring at Thor before searching through his bag once again. “I take them for a week every month to prevent my heats, and I am  _ very _ meticulous about it. I-I can’t believe I forgot them. Shit!”

Thor didn’t see them in the bag, and sighed, beginning to get nervous. “Maybe we can run to a pharmacy?”

“They’re a prescription, it’ll take two days for my doctor to send the script over.”

He sat down on the edge of the bed then and began to mutter, his mind running a million miles a minute.

“What am I going to do? I can’t go into heat on this trip.”

Thor sighed and sat down on the other side of the bed, thinking about what they could do as well. “When is your heat supposed to come?”

“Tonight, at 8 if I don’t take my suppressants.”

“There have to be emergency suppressants, Loki. You can’t be the first omega in the world to accidentally not pack your suppressants.”

Loki nodded, praying to the Norns that Thor was right. “I’m going to take a taxi to the pharmacy.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Loki didn’t have time to protest, and rushed out of the room after grabbing his room card, Thor close on his heels. 

They made it to the pharmacist in record time, and rushed to speak with one, hoping that there was an emergency heat suppressant that Loki could take.

After finishing up with a customer, the pharmacist smiled at the pair, greeting them. “Hello, how may I help you?”

“We were wondering if you could help us find emergency suppressants,” answered Thor, a protective arm coming around Loki. “My omega accidentally left them at home.”

Loki was too panicked to care about Thor speaking for him and handling the situation, and prayed to the Norns that there was something he could take. 

“Hm… when is your heat due to begin, sir?”

“Tonight.”

The pharmacist frowned then. “Unfortunately, it isn’t recommended to take emergency suppressants the day your heat is supposed to begin. You can only take them 24 to 72 hours before an upcoming heat. I can’t give them to you.”

Loki’s heart dropped then. “You’re joking…”

“I’m sorry, sir. I wish I was. The most I can do is prescribe you Plan-B, an emergency contraceptive. You take this 24 to 72 hours after unprotected sex, to prevent conception.”

Shit.

“We’ll take the Plan-B, then.” murmured Loki, pulling out his card and paying for it.

He and Thor didn’t speak until they returned to their room, and once there, they sat down on opposite sides of the bed, debating about what they should do.

“Should I fly you home?”

Loki shook his head, biting at a lower lip in thought. “My heat starts in 4 hours. I won’t make it back in time.”

“Then… I’ll get another room for the night, and come back when you’re done?”

Loki shook his head again, knowing that it wouldn’t work. “Then our cover will be blown. If you don’t smell like me when we meet with Freyr and Gerd tomorrow night or the day after, it will be suspicious, and they’ll wonder why we were separated for my heat.”

Thor realized then why Loki bought the Plan-B.

“Oh.”

They remained silent until Thor decided to ask Loki what he wanted to do. “What would you like to do about this, Loki?”

Loki closed his eyes and shook his head, not knowing. “I haven’t had a heat in years, so this one will probably last 2 or 3 days. And it’ll be really intense… I didn’t bring any toys.”

The omega spared Thor a glance then, too ashamed to ask for help.

Thor sensed this and exhaled deeply, debating if he really wanted to help Loki with this. 

A heat was an intimate thing to share with someone, and… and although they’d known each other for a little over a year, they had a strict work relationship.

Nothing more, and nothing less.

They felt more comfortable around each other because of this entire pretend relationship, but even then, sharing a heat together was still too intimate of a thing.

“...How painful are heats, without a partner?”

“...Painful. The cramps are impossible, and… and being close to an alpha but not being able to touch them or beg them for release is unbearable.”

Thor didn’t respond for quite some time. 

And then…

“If I helped you… would that make you uncomfortable, as my subordinate?” 

Loki bit his lower lip, looking over at Thor again. “I don’t have a choice, really…”

“You always have a choice, Loki. I won’t do anything to you that makes you feel uncomfortable.”

Loki felt his body heat up from his preheat, and fanned at his face, beginning to feel hot. “If you help me… then we do this… and… and we forget about it. And no one ever finds out.”

Thor nodded slowly. “No one will find out. It will be kept between you and me.”

Loki nodded slowly as well, accepting that they were doing this. “Then… thank you for helping me. It means a lot. I know what it implies.”

“Thank  _ you _ for trusting me with this. I know that it isn’t an easy decision.” Thor turned to face Loki on the bed then, taking his hands in his. “I need your explicit consent before this happens, Loki. I don’t want to do anything that you’re not comfortable with. So… if you don’t want to go all the way, or don’t want something done to you, just tell me.”

Loki thought about it before answering Thor. “Are you comfortable knotting me?”

“... Are heats painful without a knot?”

“Yes…”

Thor sighed, then. “I don’t want you to be in pain. If you need me to, then I will.”

“The effectiveness of Plan-B is quite consistent, so… we should be okay.”

“Alright. Well… do you have anything I should know about?”

Loki shook his head, nervously looking over at Thor again. “What about you?”

“I’m clean.”

“Okay… then… then I’m going to shower, and get ready.”

Thor nodded, watching Loki grab a few things from his bags before heading towards their bathroom, and closing the door.

Once he was alone, Thor sighed, pulling out his phone and calling Freyr. 

His best friend answered on the second ring, and Thor sighed again, greeting him. “Hey. Loki forgot his heat suppressants at home, so… we’ll be MIA for the next three days.”

“Oh. Wow. Okay… uh… good luck, then? Just call me when you’re both ready to explore the island a bit, and everything is situated.”

“I will. Thanks for understanding.”

He hung up then, and sighed for what wouldn’t be the last time, berating himself for getting himself into this mess.

He needed to learn how to keep his damn mouth shut.

☾✩☽

After running to the store to get them enough water and food to last for 2-3 days, Thor returned, noticing that Loki was sitting in briefs on the bed, their fan set to the highest setting, and their AC in the room set to 63.

“Norns, it’s freezing in here.”

Loki groaned, spreading himself out more on the massive bed. “I’m on fire.”

Thor shivered, setting their things down on a counter. “Well, I went to get some food and water for us, as well as some pain medicine for you. Do you need me to get anything else?”

Loki shook his head, thankful that Thor got them what they needed. “No. That should be enough for us.”

He looked at his phone then, seeing that it was 6. “Two more hours… it might start earlier though, as I feel my head beginning to swirl.”

Thor widened his eyes, rushing to his bags so that he could shower and change. “I’ll shower quickly, then.”

Loki didn’t respond, trying to focus on staying calm, and trying to accept the fact that he was about to sleep with Thor. 

His boss.

And the man that he been pretending to date for the past two and a half weeks.

A man that… wasn’t as scary or imposing as he thought he would be.

His thoughts swirled around in his head uncontrollably then, and he knew he was close.

His heat would be here before the hour was over. 

Thor came out of the bathroom around 6:30, and shuddered, able to smell the intense pheromones wafting from Loki.  _ “Norns _ …”

It took everything in him to not inhale the inviting scent into his nostrils, and he warily made his way over to Loki, sitting down next to him. “Loki?”

Loki made a soft sound, his body beginning to heat up once it realized that an alpha was nearby.

“Loki, before this happens, I want to know that you’re okay with this. I don’t want to hurt you or make you feel unsafe.”

Loki gulped, knowing that spending his heat without Thor would be a million times worse than spending his heat with the alpha. “No! Don’t leave! I can’t experience it alone!”

Thor was shocked by the strong grip on his wrist, and looked down, wondering how far gone Loki was. “Do you understand what I’m asking?”

Loki nodded, grip still tight on Thor’s wrist. “You’re asking me if I’m certain. And I’m telling you I am. Please don’t go.”

The plea in Loki’s voice was what got Thor.

He’d never heard Loki sound so scared or vulnerable before.

“Then… then I will stay. I’m not leaving.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. I won’t leave you.”

Loki’s grip on his wrist relaxed then, and Thor sighed, scooting over and pulling Loki into his arms.

He could sense that the omega was close too.

Loki being pulled into an alpha,  _ his _ alpha’s arms, seemed to be the catalyst, and he moaned deeply, wrapping his arms around Thor and shuddering. 

Thor looked down, noticing that Loki was already hard, and beginning to feel split.

The alpha part of him wanted to do nothing but take over the situation, and handle Loki’s heat in a way that the omega’s body would never be able to forget, and the rational part of him was still worried that he would damage Loki by doing this. 

Helping someone through a heat was an intimate thing, and… and he didn’t want to ruin their professional relationship. 

But he also didn’t want Loki to suffer. 

Loki braced his hands on Thor’s shoulders, rubbing at them and hoping to soothe the alpha. “ _ Please _ don’t go…”

Thor rushed to assure Loki, kissing at his neck and calming the omega. “I’m not leaving, Loki. I won’t go anywhere.”

Thor could smell the onset of Loki’s heat then, and didn’t miss how his briefs were beginning to dampen from his slick.

He couldn’t fight the low moan that left him from the sight, and kissed at Loki’s neck and, knowing that his scent glands were sensitive.

Loki shook his head, seemingly fighting through a haze. “Don’t mark me, Thor.  _ Please _ .”

Hearing this plea returned Thor to his senses, and he pulled back, shocked that he’d wanted to bite Loki and mate them together.

The pair stared at each other for a bated breath before Thor nodded. “I won’t mark you. I won’t bite you. I’ll leave your neck alone.”

The tension left Loki’s body again, and he relaxed completely, feeling his heat fully take over.

He began to rut against Thor, too far gone to feel ashamed. “ _ Please… touch me…” _

Thor reached out a wary hand, pulling down the waistband of Loki’s briefs, and freeing the omega’s erection.

His first thought was that Loki had the most  _ adorable _ appendage, and he inhaled sharply, chastising himself for thinking this about his subordinate. 

_ “Please… please, Alpha…” _ begged Loki, his hold on Thor tightening. 

Thor told himself that whatever thoughts he had were not his true thoughts then, and told himself that after this was over, he’d be back to looking at Loki in the light he usual did. 

As his assistant.

Nothing more, and nothing less. 

He took hold of Loki’s length then and began to jerk him, feeling his rut starting to overtake him when he inhaled Loki alluring scent once more, and saw a bead of precum drip from Loki’s cock.

Telling himself that Loki gave him permission to do this, to touch him and help him, Thor began to listen to his rut, and moved Loki back to the mattress, slanting his lips against the omega’s when he protested the shift in their position. 

He deepened their kiss expertly then, and had Loki bucking into his hand, begging for release.

Once his tongue connected with Loki’s, Thor knew there was no holding back, and he gripped Loki a bit tighter, running his thumb over the head of Loki’s cock, and jerking at him until he was cumming over the alpha’s hands. 

Loki’s tongue sought out Thor’s again, and the alpha obliged, pushing his tongue into Loki’s mouth, and running it along the length of Loki’s, their tongues intertwining and coming together for a deep, sloven kiss.

Loki’s hands were fisted loosely in Thor’s shirt, and he began to make soft sounds, attempting to take it off. 

Thor broke their kiss to remove his shirt, and kicked off his pants, removing Loki’s briefs completely as well.

Now that they were both naked Loki became more active and vocal, drawing Thor back to his mouth and beginning to kiss him again and again, spreading himself beneath Thor and inviting him closer.

Thor slanted his body against Loki’s, groaning when his cock slid against Loki’s entrance, tugging at the rim.

Loki arched in his hold with this movement, and clutched at Thor, begging him to fuck him, and reaching down to grasp at Thor’s hips in a poor attempt to get him to move.

Thor fought against sucking at Loki’s neck, and instead slanted his lips against his once more, grabbing himself and aligning himself with Loki before sinking in.

Slipping into Loki’s slickened warmth was something that had Thor shuddering, and his hips began to snap into Loki immediately, seeking the friction that Loki’s walls were giving him.

Loki was crying out by this point, begging Thor to give him more, more and more and  _ more _ , and Thor gave it to him, fucking the omega at a breathtaking, heart-stopping rate, angling himself until he found that perfect angle that had Loki screaming.

Loki’s nails ran down his back so hard they drew blood, but Thor didn’t care, too focused on pleasing Loki, and making his omega scream and cry out again and again.

Grasping at the sheets of their bed, Loki tossed his head back, his vision going shockingly white as he climaxed.

His cum shot out of him and landed across his chest in arcs, and Thor continuing to fuck him through the intense waves brought tears to his eyes, absolutely losing his mind when Thor bent over and sucked a hardened pink nipple into his mouth.

He felt that Thor was close, and held onto him tighter, pleading for the alpha to climax.  _ “I-I need your knot, Alpha, Alpha please, please cum, A-Alpha-” _

Loki arched in Thor’s hold when he felt the alpha climax in him, the alpha’s steadily growing knot making Loki cum once again. 

_ “Mine,” _ murmured Thor, sucking hickeys into Loki’s skin.  _ “You’re mine.” _

Loki nodded hurriedly, tears streaming down his cheeks. “ _ I’m all yours Alpha, d-don’t leave me!” _

Thor attached his lips back against Loki, his downright  _ sinful _ kiss making Loki drown further and further in pleasure.

_ “More, Alpha, Alpha please!” _ begged Loki, spreading himself out a bit more under Thor, and encouraging him to tug at his rim with his knot.

Thor smirked, his rut completely taking over him. “Do you love my knot?”

Loki nodded, squirming underneath Thor. “I-I love it, Alpha!”

Thor pulled back again, using his knot to tease at Loki’s entrance again. “If this falls out of you, you won’t get pregnant.”

Loki shook his head, his ankles coming to pull Thor closer by his waist, locking him in place. “No, Alpha!”

Thor’s lips were back against Loki’s and he kissed him over and over again, before wiping at his tears, not wanting him to cry. “I won’t leave you, Omega.”

Loki whimpered, and pulled Thor closer, nestling his face into his neck, and inhaling his heady scent. “I want your children, Alpha!”

Thor snapped his hips up into Loki, causing the omega to arch in his hold and cry out. “How many, Omega?”

“As many as I can have, Alpha! Don’t leave me, please!”

Thor hummed, kissing Loki again. “I’m not leaving you, Omega. I’ll give you all the children you want.”

His rut-muddled mind loved seeing the hope in Loki’s eyes, then. 

“Twins?”

“Do you want triplets?”

Loki nodded eagerly, begging Thor to fuck him again when he felt the alpha’s knot begin to go down.  _ “Fill me, Alpha! Please!” _

Thor began to thrust into Loki’s inviting warmth again, teeth clacking and tongues intertwined for a sloven kiss.

_ “I’m gonna fill you up, Omega. Make you mine. You’re mine.” _

Loki nodded deliriously, agreeing to whatever Thor said.  _ “Yes, Alpha! All yours!” _

Thor flipped them over in the bed then, sitting so that Loki was in his lap. “Show me how much your mine.  _ Beg _ for me.”

Loki’s hips immediately began to move, and he brought Thor’s hands up to his chest, moaning when the alpha pinched at his nipples and lightly twisted them. “I want you, Alpha!”

“How much do you want me?” murmured Thor, snapping his hips up into Loki, and loving the way the omega squirmed in his hold from the assault of stimulation.

“I-I’ve always wanted you, Alpha! Always!”

He continued to ride Thor with everything in him, meeting him thrust for thrust, slack-jawed from the stimulation he was receiving.

“Once I get you pregnant, you’ll be mine, and mine forever, Omega.”

_ “Please, Alpha!” _ begged Loki, gripping onto Thor tighter the closer and closer they got to climaxing. 

_ “Promise me you’ll be mine forever, Omega!” _

_ “I’ll be yours forever, Alpha! P-Please, don’t stop!” _

Thor groaned as he snapped up into Loki at lightspeed, spilling into the man and forcing his knot past his rim before it swelled.

Loki’s mouth opened up into a silent scream as he came, immobilized by the intense pleasure that his body was offering to him. 

As he came down from his sexual high, Thor began to kiss over the expanse of his skin, mutters of  _ “mine” _ leaving his lips.

Loki rushed to reassure him, not wanting Thor to think differently.

And together they crashed through the waves, before diving right back into it, the most humiliating and mortifying words leaving from their lips throughout their coupling. 

Utters of getting married and mating, as well as giving birth to alpha heirs left their lips, and through it all Loki begged and  _ begged _ for more, not wanting Thor to leave his side or stop.

And who was the alpha in Thor to deny his omega this simple pleasure?

☾✩☽

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about that embarrassing ending!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> If you haven't noticed by now, writing "dirty talk" is still challenging for me lol. But, what they said during their heat and rut filled moments is important for future chapters, so the awkward dirty talk remains. As always, if there's something you want to say, or ask, or anything else, then please comment.
> 
> All my stories are also unbeta'd so... if there's anyone out there that wants to bounce ideas off their heads with me about this story, future stories, current stories, please let me know T.T


	3. New Feelings Under Development

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a hefty delivery of smut, here!
> 
> Oh... you didn't ask for any?
> 
> Welllllllllll too bad, because the entire first half of this chapter includes that, as well as some healthy introspection.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it ;)

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki’s heat went by in a whirlwind for Thor, and after waking up on the beginning of the 3rd day, Thor inhaled the omega’s scent deeply, able to determine that Loki was mostly finished with his heat.

He would undoubtedly spend the rest of today recovering, before being back to normal tomorrow.

Since Thor was the first to wake up, he took a moment to go over everything that happened during Loki’s heat, and everything that was said between them, in his head; as embarrassing as it all was. 

There were a lot of mortifying things said -Thor was still trying to come to terms with the fact that he’d actually asked Loki to marry  _ and _ mate to him- and as he looked down at the omega, who was cuddled innocently against his side, head resting on his chest, Thor realized that… this was a sight he wanted to see again.

Being able to feel Loki’s body, and lavish reverent kisses upon his skin, connecting with him in a way that he hadn’t connected to someone in  _ years _ , made Thor feel something.

It made him feel many things, actually.

And he realized then that there was a reason he’d chosen Loki to go along with this ridiculous plan of his, regarding their pretend relationship.

When he first met Loki, he’d immediately been drawn to the man.

Loki was smart, quick on his feet, an excellent conversationalist, he performed his duties better than any of Thor’s previous assistants, and he kept Thor moving, their banter often causing Thor to think back fondly on their work relationship throughout the idle moments of his days.

He usually went through assistants every two or three months, but Loki had stayed, not put off by Thor’s personality.

He’d instead pushed back with his own, refusing to let Thor boss him around.

And slowly but surely, Loki became the only person that could snap at Thor, without being reprimanded.

Thor realized then that he’d never really let go of his initial infatuation with Loki, and… and he accepted at this moment that he really didn’t want to.

As Loki slumbered in his embrace, Thor felt things that he hadn’t felt in a long time, and thought through he and Loki’s entire relationship.

He really enjoyed the omega, and he really didn’t want to go back to how things were between them.

No, he wanted to press forward, to get to know him more, to take the time to actually build something, and if he could hold Loki in his arms again like this in the still moments of the morning, then… then he wanted to do whatever he could do, to ensure that he was able to.

He’d been a complete idiot interacting with Loki in every moment leading up to this one, and he refused to waste another moment.

He wasn’t the best at pursuing people, and being honest with himself, but… with Loki, he at least wanted to try.

He wasn’t dumb enough to immediately profess his undying love for Loki whenever the omega woke up -he didn’t think he  _ loved _ him, but he was definitely entertaining the possibility of actually dating the man in the future- and decided that he would take things slow.

Once he was certain about his feelings for the omega, he would decide how he wanted to handle it from there.

Loki stirring in his arms made Thor look down, and he felt his heart skip a beat when Loki took bleary notice of him, confusion on his face. “Thor?”

Thor cleared his throat, continuing to look down at Loki. “Hey… how are you feeling? Do you need me to get anything for you?”

Loki closed his eyes again, stirring a bit more and shifting until he was on his pillow and out of Thor’s arms, resting on his stomach. “My Plan-B.”

Thor nodded, sliding out of bed, and getting Loki’s medicine and a bottle of water, wordlessly handing it to Loki.

The omega took it without speaking, and drained the water bottle, relaxing his head against the headboard of the bed.

He wasn’t absolutely certain about what to do or say.

He and Thor had said some very embarrassing things during his heat, and he chanced a look over at the alpha, seeing that he was staring at him with an unreadable expression.

“Don’t look at me like that. I am  _ fully _ aware of what I said.”

Thor continued to stare at Loki, trying to make sense of the swirling thoughts in his head. 

Loki huffed when Thor didn’t respond, moving to get out of bed and standing. “I’m going to go shower.”

Thor made an agreeing sound, watching Loki bend over and unzip his suitcase, seemingly searching through it to find something he wanted to wear for the day.

He found himself leering over Loki’s form and forced himself to avert his gaze, chastising himself. 

Loki would never fall for him if he acted like a lecherous old man.

Loki tried to ignore Thor staring over his form appreciatively, and grumbled, finally deciding to call him out about it. “Stop leering at me. I know I’ve got a great body, but I’m off-limits. You’ve done enough.”

“Have I?”

Loki blushed deeply, standing up quickly and turning to face Thor. “Yes! You’ve helped enough!”

Thor gestured down to Loki’s nether regions, then. “You’re hard.”

Loki inhaled sharply, noticing and quickly covering himself. “T-That’s just the last of my heat affecting me! It doesn’t concern you!”

Thor laughed softly and looked away, not wanting to make Loki feel more uncomfortable than he already was. “Alright. Well… enjoy your shower. I’ll let Freyr and Gerd know that we’ll meet them for brunch at 1.”

Loki didn’t say anything and ran into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door to prevent himself from running back out to Thor’s side, and kissing him.

His heat had admittedly brought out sides of himself and Thor that he didn’t know were there, and he’d reveled under Thor’s touch, shocked to find that he wanted to run back out there, and be touched by Thor again.

He pushed this thought back into the recesses of his mind, and turned on the shower, trying to will his erection away. 

When that didn't work, Loki brought a nervous hand up to himself, beginning to stroke at his length, and stifling a moan.

The first thing that regrettably popped into his head was how Thor grabbed him here during his heat, and he tried to copy the alpha’s movements, running his thumb over his head and turning his hand ever so slightly.

He knew that this wouldn’t be enough, then.

Telling himself that this was him getting the last impulse urges of his heat out, Loki reached behind himself, surprised to feel that he was still slickened here.

His fingers slid into him easily, and he moaned, closing his eyes and imagining that they were Thor’s fingers instead; as embarrassing as that thought was. 

Pushing them in deeper, Loki curled them, letting out another low moan when they were finally angled perfectly.

He thrust them in as deep as they could go, and began to move them, trying to mimic how Thor’s felt in him last night. 

He imagined Thor kissing at his neck and holding his body, gentle caresses running up and along his skin.

He imagined Thor pinching at one of his nipples and moved to do the same, gasping when he managed to make this actually feel good.

Thoughts of how Thor lavished kisses on his pale skin flooded through his mind, thoughts of how the alpha moved into him overwhelming his senses, the memory of how it felt to be knotted by Thor being the one thing that drove Loki over the edge, and he came hard, milking at his prostate, and letting out another low moan as he saw stars, trying to ignore the thought that he wished these were Thor’s fingers instead.

Or better yet, the alpha’s cock.

This thought made Loki’s erection spring back to life, and he groaned, cursing his dilemma.

Thor was  _ right _ outside, and if he swallowed his pride and asked Thor to help him through the last parts of his heat, his “suffering” would be over.

But what if the alpha said no?

Loki would look like an idiot then.

And he refused to do that to himself.

Looking around the bathroom for  _ anything _ that might be able to be used as a makeshift dildo, Loki frowned when he saw nothing that would make it a comfortable experience for himself.

He felt himself twitch at the thought that he should just stop delaying the inevitable, and ask for Thor’s help, but he really couldn’t bring himself to, knowing that the alpha might say no, and  _ that _ was something that would be too embarrassing to deal with.

He knew that his touch wouldn’t be enough, though.

A loud knock at the door of the bathroom pulled him from his thoughts, and he quickly reached out from the shower, opening the door and staring at Thor.

They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Thor spoke.

“Are you okay?”

Loki found himself shaking his head no, and mentally cursed at himself, pissed that his body was answering for him about things that his mind didn’t want.

“How can I help you?”

Loki looked at him in a way that caused Thor’s heart to melt, the humility and vulnerability in the omega’s eyes making Thor want to do whatever he could to make Loki strong and confident once again. 

“...Touch me…”

Thor nodded, stepping into the bathroom, and closing the door.

Loki made room for him in the large shower and blushed when Thor closed the glass door behind him, suddenly having the thought that he wanted Thor to fuck him against that door.

Thor pulled Loki into his arms then, and kissed at the junction of his neck and shoulder, hoping to calm him. “Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

“I just want you in me…  _ please _ .”

Nodding, Thor began to stroke himself, and it didn’t take too long before he was erect and ready for Loki.

Pressing the omega against the glass door of the shower, Thor aligned himself and pushed in, his low moan matching Loki’s.

Loki spread himself a bit more and clenched his fists when Thor began to move, his jaw slackening when Thor immediately angled himself and hit that spot deep within that made him see stars.

He couldn’t hold back his voice and cried out, gasping and his breath hitching when Thor continued, the grip on the omega’s hips tight; just the way he liked it.

He reached down and began to jerk himself in time to Thor’s movements, rocking his hips back onto Thor, and begging the alpha for more, leaning back when Thor began to suck at his neck.

“ _ M-More! I-I’m close!” _ begged Loki, arching onto his toes when Thor obliged, rubbing against that bundle of nerves within.

He gasped as he came, clenching around Thor, and making the alpha groan, his movements becoming more insistent. 

He spilled into Loki as the omega pulsed around him, forehead coming to rest against Loki’s shoulder as he came.

The pair panted together and managed to catch their breaths, before Loki slowly turned in Thor’s hold, slanting his lips against his for an impassioned kiss, past the point of humility. 

If Thor was here right now that meant the alpha was still okay with helping him, and Loki planned on taking full advantage of that. 

Thor gripped at Loki’s thighs and lifted him up, encouraging the omega to wrap his legs around his hips.

The omega did just that, so Thor rewarded him by deepening their kiss, making out with him under the steady stream of water from the showerhead.

Thor moved to kiss at Loki’s neck then, trusting himself to not bite him. “Is your heat not over?”

“I-I don’t know,” moaned Loki, not missing how Thor was already ready to go again. “Just fuck me.”

It was easy for Loki to sink down on Thor in this position, and he held onto Thor for dear life as the alpha fucked him, sure that he was loud enough for the people next door to hear. 

“ _ Deeper, Alpha! More!” _

Loki clenched around Thor when he did just that, feeling his eyes almost roll into the back of his head during a particular thrust. 

“ _ Tighten for me, Omega,” _ purred Thor, making Loki feel things that he hadn’t felt in so long.

He did just as Thor asked, grasping at him tightly when Thor’s movements quickened.

Hearing the alpha groan in his ear as he came spurred Loki into climaxing as well, and he felt so weak in Thor’s arms, wondering why he wanted Thor to touch him and fuck him so much.

He didn’t feel like he was in heat, and he could clearly think for himself, but he wanted Thor’s body and his to become one, and he wanted the alpha to keep touching him, kisses littering his body, until he was full of him.

This thought seemed to knock some sense into Loki, and he closed his eyes, resting his forehead on Thor’s shoulders. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not in heat. But my body…”

“Has an unusual craving for this?” answered Thor, hands continuing to support Loki and hold him up.

The omega nodded, not knowing what to do about this exactly. “I don’t know what to do, Mr. Odinson.”

Hearing Loki call him this reminded him that Loki  _ was _ his assistant, and he sighed, carefully setting the omega down. “It’s most likely the remnants of your heat, Loki. Please do not worry about it. I’ll call Freyr, and let him know that your heat isn’t over yet.”

Loki found himself nodding in agreement, and wrapped his arms around Thor, not wanting him to go. “Don’t leave me…”

Thor kissed Loki softly then, not wanting him to worry. “I won’t, Omega.”

Being called “Omega” so sweetly made Loki’s heart flutter, and he held onto Thor for just a moment longer, basking in the warmth of his skin.

After getting out of the shower, Thor called Freyr and let him know that Loki’s heat would be over tomorrow, so they rescheduled their plans for brunch.

Loki and Thor spent the entire day in each other’s embrace, bodies intertwining as one so many times, they often forgot how to  _ breathe _ , each of them not thinking about what they were doing, and instead feeling and reveling in their connection that they shared with each other. 

Loki woke up in Thor’s arms again the next day and widened his eyes, shocked to his very core about the whirlwind that the past few days had been.

He knew for certain that his heat was over now, so… so why was he still wanting to remain here in Thor’s arms?

And why did the thought of leaving them make him feel so sad?

Loki searched through his emotions then, beginning to realize that he really didn’t want to leave Thor’s arms.

Ever.

This thought scared him, and he couldn’t understand how he felt this way about Thor.

Thor was his boss, and he was mean and grumpy and attentive, and caring and… and he took care of Loki like no other… he cherished him during his heat, and took tender care of him, doing everything Loki begged for, and so much more.

And… and Thor was human. 

Just like him. 

He thought back to the brunch he’d had with Thor’s family, and all the stories they told about him, which helped him see Thor in a new light.

He couldn’t do anything but accept then that he liked his boss.

He liked Thor.

And he didn’t want them to break up at the end of this 6 month period. He wanted them to continue to get to know each other, to continue learning and growing, and...

Realizing this was startling for Loki.

He’d had an image in his head of Thor and the person he was, and throughout the past 2 weeks, that image had been destroyed.

He’d always seen Thor as a frustrating man, an alpha who didn’t care about anyone but himself, an alpha that cared more about numbers and goals than people, an alpha that… was admittedly a bigger sap than Loki imagined.

Being around Thor’s family did help Loki see Thor as an actual human, and not just his boss, and… he couldn’t help the faint smile spreading across his face as he remembered the hilarious stories that he’d been told about the alpha.

Seeing and experiencing Thor as an attentive alpha had really changed Loki’s perspective of the man, and he began to seriously think about these new feelings that most  _ certainly _ weren’t there before.

Thor stirring next to him brought him back to reality, and he realized then that he shouldn’t act on these feelings because as kind as Thor had been to him during his heat, this  _ wasn’t _ real.

Thor was a man who didn’t want to get married, he didn’t want to have kids, and he didn’t want to have anyone by his side.

There was no place for Loki next to Thor.

And there never would be.

Accepting this helped Loki feel better and more resolute about his decision, and he sighed, pulling away from Thor. “What time does Freyr want us to meet him?”

Thor cleared his throat, absentmindedly reaching out for Loki to pull him close again. “3? He mentioned scuba diving with dolphins.”

Loki let out a small squeak when Thor pulled him back against his broad chest, and his heart raced for a few seconds before he relaxed, a calm, lithe hand coming to rest on Thor’s chest. 

Before he could stop himself, he was tracing aimless circles into Thor’s chest and happened to look up, shocked to see the alpha smiling down gently at him.

He quickly rushed to sit up, his eyes going wide when Thor pulled him back down  _ again _ . 

He didn’t know what to do or say, and decided that he would just let Thor do whatever he wanted.

He’d take what he could get from the alpha, and at the end of the 6 months… he’d have $80,000 and a broken heart.

He didn’t want to think about 6 months from now, anymore.

Instead, he relaxed in Thor’s arms, and remained there, not minding when the alpha began to run his thumb over the crest of his hip, gently kissing at his forehead.

“How are you feeling?”

_ Not sated _ .

_ I want  _ ** _more_ ** .

Loki shoved these thoughts away, not able to stop his body from wrapping his arms a bit tighter around Thor, nestling his face under his chin and into the scent glands on his neck. “I don’t know…”

This resonated with Thor.

“Do you want to go out today? Or stay here?”

Loki found that he wanted to stay here in Thor’s warm embrace instead, but… they didn’t fly all the way down here to these islands, just to stay in bed.

“I want to go out. I’ve never swum with dolphins.”

Thor hummed, kissing Loki’s forehead again before shifting and sitting up in bed. “We might as well get ready, then. I know we need to eat.”

Loki found a deep-set frown on his face when he sat up as well, and hated that he felt this way about their situation.

Thor reaching out to cup his cheek made him look at the alpha in shock, and it was again that he saw the gentleness in Thor’s eyes that had made him so weak in the knees over the past few days.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Loki?”

Loki nestled into Thor’s hand, berating himself for doing so, and finally determining just this once that he didn’t care. “I’m fine.”

The pair stared at each other for a few seconds before leaning forward, and Loki gazed at Thor, closing his eyes when the alpha pressed his lips against his. 

They kissed softly again and again, and they found that they couldn’t stop, Loki’s arms finding themselves draped around Thor’s neck, and Thor’s arms wrapped against Loki’s waist.

Loki surprised himself and Thor when he deepened their kiss, and he parted his mouth, shivers running down his spine when Thor’s tongue slid against his.

Thor kissed him with such a calculated intensity, and it drove him  _ insane _ , making him feel as if he didn’t want these kisses to stop.

And he knew that he truly didn’t want them to. 

Thor had felt the spark and electricity in their gaze when they stared at each other a few moments ago, and he’d just gone for it, knowing that Loki would push him away if he didn’t like it.

He inhaled the heady scent of Loki’s slick, and pulled the omega into his lap, attaching his lips to Loki’s scent glands, and sucking harshly. 

Loki’s eyes fluttered closed, and he ran his fingers through Thor’s golden hair as the alpha sucked at his neck, settling fully into his lap, and arching in Thor’s hold when he felt the alpha grab at his rear, subtly giving him permission to hold him here and do what he wanted.

Thor kissed Loki’s neck then once more and marveled at the hickey, proud of his work. 

Loki’s lips were back on his quicker than he anticipated and he closed his eyes when he kissed him back, their tongues coming into the mix once again as Thor gripped Loki’s ass tighter.

He found his fingers tracing along the cleft of the omega’s ass, and circled around his puckered entrance before urging a finger in, noticing that he was still a bit relaxed here from their coupling last night. 

Loki let out a soft sound and broke their kiss, his forehead coming to rest on Thor’s shoulder as the alpha worked him open.

It didn’t take long, and once he was ready, he guided Loki’s hips, aligning himself with the omega, and helping him sink down on him. 

Loki let out a low moan as he sank down on Thor, feeling the alpha spread him in ways he felt he hadn’t experienced since his college days.

_ “Fuuuck-” _ he muttered, his eyes fluttering closed as he finally bottomed out.

He rocked his hips slowly and couldn’t stifle the sounds escaping him, only getting louder when Thor guided him, showing him how he wanted him to move to give them both pleasure.

Loki allowed his body to be moved and molded in Thor’s large hands, gripping at his shoulders and truly beginning to ride him. 

Thor gave a test snap of his hips, cementing the sound Loki made to memory.

This coupling was more intimate than anything they’d shared, as they were both fully aware of what they were doing, not able to blame Loki’s heat or Thor’s rut. 

After finishing, Loki collapsed in Thor’s arms, nestling into his side when Thor fell back onto the bed too.

It took him some time to catch his breath, and when he’d finally done so, he found immense relief spreading throughout him.

He was  _ sated _ .

Thor couldn’t believe that Loki didn’t turn him away, and thought to himself about what they were doing, and how they were going about it.

He knew how stubborn Loki was, and knew that he was going to have to work hard to make Loki fall for him, and agree to be with him in the way Thor was wanting him to.

He looked at the clock in their room and noticed that it was 1:45. “Loki… we need to get up and get ready. We’re supposed to meet Freyr at 3.”

Loki frowned and slowly disentangled their limbs, not trusting himself to look back at Thor. “I’ll shower first, then.”

Thor nodded and watched Loki gather his things, sighing deeply when the door closed.

What were they doing?

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After showering and eating, Thor and Loki made their way down to the beach, meeting up with Freyr and Gerd.

The couple shot them knowing looks when they spotted Loki’s large hickey, but didn’t say anything about it, greeting the pair.

“Gerd and I tried this out yesterday, and I know you’ll love it.” began Freyr, accepting his gear from the instructor. “The dolphins are so intelligent. One of them actually picked Gerd up yesterday, and almost stole her away from me.”

Loki laughed, imagining the scene in his head. “Norns, that would’ve been a sight.”

“It was so breathtaking. I almost didn’t realize what was happening,” answered Gerd, a dreamy look on her face. “These dolphins are such peaceful creatures.”

“What are we supposed to do, though? Touch them?

Freyr snorted at Thor’s question, correcting his placement of the gear. “You do whatever you want. Swim, follow them, feed them fish, whatever you want. It’s quite fun.”

Thor wasn’t convinced -he had what he admitted to be an aversion to animals- but nevertheless closed his mouth, going along with it to make his best friend happy. 

Once they were in the water Thor began to get nervous, and he subconsciously pulled Loki closer, making the omega laugh. “What’s wrong, Thor? We’ve only just gotten in the water.”

“He’s scared of fish,” sighed Freyr, shooting them an amused look. “ _ But, _ dolphins aren’t fish, and are quite intelligent mammals, so I’m hoping that this will help him feel better.”

Loki looked up at Thor in surprise, shocked that the alpha was scared of something so… mundane.

“It’ll be alright, Thor,” he assured, rubbing at his sides and stretching up to kiss him. “I’ll protect you.”

Thor frowned, not happy that Freyr outed him. “I don’t need protecting, Lo-”

He jumped when he felt something swim against his leg, and squeaked, yanking it out of the water. “S-Something just touched me!”

Loki snorted, looking down and seeing that it was just a small fish. “It was just a fish, Thor. A harmless baby fish.”

Thor frowned, and Loki found it somewhat adorable to see the alpha pouting. “Here, swim out a bit with me, so we can pet the dolphins.”

Thor took Loki’s hand, and walked over to where the dolphins were, ready to bolt when a couple of them took notice of the pair, and swam over, clicking and screeching happily.

The alpha  _ lost _ it when one of the dolphins began to circle around him, his face going pale, and his legs beginning to shake. “L-Loki!”

The dolphin was twice the size of Thor, and screeched happily again, heading towards Thor so that it could be petted.

Thor screamed, screwing his eyes shut and accepting that being attacked by a dolphin was how he would die.

When he didn’t feel the dolphin nudging at him, Thor opened his eyes, inhaling deeply when he saw that Loki was now next to him, petting the dolphins in his stead, and keeping them away from the alpha.

Thor had never been this relieved in his  _ life _ , and his shoulders sagged, thankful that Loki saved him.

He was too scared to be ashamed about being saved by his assistant.

Tutting softly, Loki rubbed at the heads of the two dolphins, laughing when they preened from his touch, clicking loudly. “My alpha’s quite scared, so you both have to be gentle, okay?”

The dolphins clicked again and Thor was amazed to see that they calmed down, sitting still in the water.

“Here, Thor, give me your hand,” muttered Loki, gently reaching for Thor.

The alpha handed Loki a shaking hand, absolutely terrified that the dolphins would start moving again.

Loki carefully brought Thor’s shaking hand to pet the head of the biggest dolphin, shushing him gently when Thor drew his hand back in fear. “It’s alright, Alpha. The dolphin won’t hurt you. Just pet his head gently.”

Thor was scared out of his  _ mind _ , but Loki was speaking so calmly, and it helped Thor calm down as well. Taking a shuddering breath, Thor pet the dolphin’s head, beginning to calm down further when the dolphin stayed put, and didn’t move.

“See, he won’t hurt you.” Loki accepted two fish from the dolphin trainer, and offered one to Thor. “Now he needs to be rewarded for being calm.”

Thor held onto of the tailfin of the fish, and closed his eyes, jumping when the dolphin eagerly snatched the fish out of his hand, clicking and whistling with joy.

The dolphin closest to Loki nudged at his chest, wanting its treat too for being good, so Loki laughed, handing the fish to it and laughing when it whistled in happiness too.

He could see that Thor was still a bit scared, so he took his hand, catching his attention. “Want to rest on the sand for a bit, Thor?”

Thor nodded, so Loki led him back onto the beach, not surprised when Thor pulled him into his arms once they settled into the sand.

He rubbed at Thor’s forearms gently, beginning to emit calming pheromones. “It’s alright, Mr. Odinson. You tried your best for your friend. I’m sure he appreciates your efforts.”

Thor rested his forehead against Loki’s shoulder then, taking in a shuddering breath. “...Thank you.”

Loki nodded, waving at Freyr and Gerd when they waved at him. “Just breathe. You did very well today, petting and feeding the dolphins even though you were scared of them.”

Thor didn’t answer him, and instead wrapped his arms around Loki’s torso, breathing his comforting scent in deeper. 

Once he’d fully calmed down, he slowly loosened his hold on Loki. “...Thank you, Loki.”

The omega nodded, looking out at the lapping of waves against the shore. “We’re all scared of something.”

“What are you scared of?”

Loki had a bitter smile on his face, and he was glad that Thor couldn’t see it. “I’m scared of ending up alone.”

He didn’t miss the silence between them now, and laughed softly, telling himself he was a complete idiot for falling for his boss in this three week period.

And he ignored the part of himself that told him that he’d liked him for far much longer than that.

✬⭒✭⭒✮


	4. There's Just Something About You...

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After finishing up with the aquatic mammals, Freyr wanted them all to explore the islands a bit more, and Loki could tell that the alpha wanted to get to know him a bit more as well.

Feelings for Thor aside, Loki understood that Freyr was Thor’s closest friend in this life, and he knew that the alpha just wanted to make sure that he was a good match for Thor, and that his friend was truly happy.

Thor rented out a small yacht for them to spend the latter half of the day on as a gift to Freyr and Gerd, so after climbing on board, they all made their way out to the deck, watching as the boat pulled away from the dock, and made its way into deeper waters.

“You know, Loki, we don’t know too much about you, and you do look quite young. How old are you?”

Loki turned to face Freyr, accepting the offered drink in his hand. “I’m 25.”

Freyr widened his eyes slightly. “Norns… you’re so young. Are you truly okay with someone that’s 15 years older than you?”

“Well I wouldn’t be with him if I wasn’t,” laughed Loki, winking at the alpha so that he knew he didn’t mean any harm. “I know he’s significantly older than me, but… we’re both legal, consenting adults. And love doesn’t always care about how different two people are. Sometimes… sometimes the pull towards each other is so strong, all they can do is leap over their perceived boundaries, and figure out the best way to make things work.”

Freyr hummed softly, leaning his elbows on the railing, and thinking about what Loki said. “What do you like about him? I know he doesn’t have the _ best _ personality.”

Loki snorted, agreeing with him. “He can definitely be a handful, sometimes. But… he’s kind. And he does have a big heart. He tries his best to make things work, and… and he’s genuine. And I like that about him.”

Freyr sipped at his drink, seemingly thinking of the next question he wanted to ask. “You said that he said he loved you first?”

Loki nodded, quickly thinking of a believable lie. “I know it seems odd and out of character, but… we were lying in bed after a drunken romp, and the words just tumbled from his mouth.” He sipped at his drink then, knowing he had to make this lie more believable. “Of course, he hasn’t said it _ since _, but… I know his heart. And I know he’s trying.”

Loki noticed that Freyr relaxed then, which made him relax. It seemed like his friend was finally believing him. 

“What do you want from him in the future, if you don’t mind me asking? I know how against marrying and starting a family he is.”

A pained expression marred Loki’s face then, and he didn’t have to pretend to make it.

The issue of Thor not wanting to marry or have children was the main thing that kept him from trying to give rise to the new feelings in his heart.

“_ That _… we try to not speak about it. Maybe in a few years, he’ll change his mind… whether it’s because of me or another omega I don’t know, but… either way, I will say that I would love to have that with him, in the future. But I’m not naive enough to believe that it can happen.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” murmured Freyr, finally turning to look at Loki. He had such a gentle look in his gaze, and Loki found himself wanting to believe whatever Thor’s friend was about to say. “You’re here right now with us. Thor hasn’t brought a partner around me since senior year of college.”

Loki raised an eyebrow at this, wanting to hear more. “Oh?”

Freyr looked down for a moment, seemingly thinking about a heartbreaking memory. “I think his ex from back then is the reason he’s so against marriage. He loved her so much and proposed to her once they graduated, but… she rejected the proposal and left him for one of our old friends. After that… after that, Thor was never the same.”

He turned back to face Loki, shooting the omega a soft smile. “The way he interacts with you, I’ve never seen him like that before. When he stares at you, there’s such a fondness in his gaze, and… and I can’t help but feel so much relief, Loki. No one wants their best friend to remain lonely and heartbroken for their entire life, and although when he originally told me about you I thought he was lying… I know now that he’s not.”

Loki was blown away to hear that Thor had experienced something as earth-shattering as getting rejected from a proposal, and it honestly made him reconsider so much about the alpha.

One thing he’d learned about Thor through this process was that the alpha did have a big heart, and he found himself growing angry at the omega that broke it all those years ago.

“Norns… I had no idea.”

Freyr sipped at his drink again, before sighing. “It’s something that he understandably doesn’t like to speak about. I can’t say I blame him. But what I _ can _ say is that if you’re patient, and give him some time… he’ll be able to utter those words to you again. And if you continue to love him like you say you do, he’ll open up, and realize the literal blessing that you are. You’ll have a ring soon enough, Loki.”

A genuine smile spread across Loki’s face, and he felt a spark of determination run through him, realizing then that he couldn’t give up on Thor.

That would make him no different than the omega that broke the alpha’s heart so long ago.

Loki knew they had about 5 more months until Freyr’s wedding, and he made it his personal goal then to get Thor to fall for him.

If he couldn’t do it by Freyr’s wedding, then… he’d regroup with himself, and figure out where to go from there.

But he had 5 months, and he knew that he had to at least try.

He’d seen so many different sides of Thor this month, and he found that he wanted to keep learning more and more about the alpha.

He turned to face Freyr then, grateful that Thor’s friend had taken the time to speak to him, one on one. “Thank you, Freyr. Thor literally speaks about you every chance he can, so I know just how important you are to him. It means a lot to be encouraged by you.”

Freyr smiled, reaching out to rub at Loki’s shoulder. “Of course, Loki. Anytime Thor pisses you off or gets on your nerves, just call me. I like to think that I know him better than I know myself sometimes.”

The pair laughed at this, before Loki noticed Gerd making her way over to them.

He excused himself and made his way back over to Thor’s side, sitting down and letting himself be pulled into Thor’s arms. “Hey.”

Thor found himself kissing Loki’s temple, and smiled softly when Loki nestled closer into his side. “What did he talk to you about?”

Loki moved to rest his hand comfortably on Thor’s thigh, his thumb stroking aimlessly at his pant leg. “He just wanted to know more about me, and why I was with you.”

“And what did you say?”

“That you were the most egotistical bastard I’ve ever met, and that as _ soon _ as we got off this yacht, I was breaking up with you.” joked Loki, blushing when Thor laughed and pinched at his side affectionately. “I told him that contrary to popular belief, you have a big heart. And you’re a good person, that cares for people close to you. I admire that about you.”

Being complimented by Loki was something that he’d never experienced before, and he found the proudest smile spreading across his face.

“You think I have a big heart?”

Loki nodded, closing his eyes and continuing to relax against Thor as the salty wind whipped through his hair. “You were so kind and attentive during my heat. Regardless of what we said, you were so gentle, and… compassionate. You offered to help when you didn’t have to, and accepted the risks. You didn’t take advantage of me, and… I know that you have to have a big heart to do something like that.”

He tried to not feel sad about his next words. “When we break up, and you find your next partner, they’ll be lucky to have you.”

Thor pulled Loki a bit closer when Loki said this, and didn’t say anything back, choosing to instead kiss at the omega’s temple again and remain silent.

They stared out at the passing water as they sailed, and remained in each other’s hold, both lost in another world of thought.

The next 5 months would be confusing, indeed.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

They spent the whole day and early night out on the yacht, and because there were bedrooms on it, they were spending the night.

It wasn’t until Freyr and Gerd retired to bed that Thor found thoughts of wanting to touch Loki again filling his mind.

The moon was shining so brightly on the water, and illuminated the omega perfectly, making him look serene.

Had Loki always been this beautiful?

Before he could stop himself, he was reaching out to caress Loki’s cheek, and feeling the omega nestle into his touch instead of pulling away only gave him confidence.

Loki felt bold for some reason, and kissed Thor’s palm, shooting him a look that sent shivers down the alpha’s spine.

He didn’t say anything, as he wasn’t sure about their dynamic anymore.

He definitely didn’t want to ruin anything by asking, and instead scooted a bit closer to Thor, subtly letting him know that he was open to whatever the alpha was wanting to do.

Thor wrapped an arm around Loki’s slim waist and leaned over, kissing at the hickey on his neck.

Loki melted into Thor’s touch, and a gentle hand came to caress Thor’s side, causing goosebumps to rise on the alpha’s skin.

Loki’s touch was so _ captivating _, and he couldn’t believe that it took him this long to realize how enchanting Loki was, and how bewitching he could be.

Before he could stop himself, he was placing a kiss against Loki’s lips, and the omega closed his eyes, basking in the gentle touches and affection from Thor.

Pulling away slowly, Thor felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the wondrous look in Loki’s eyes. “You’re dangerous, you know?”

Loki smirked, eyes flitting down to Thor’s lips for a breath before meeting the alpha’s enrapturing gaze. “What makes you say that?”

Thor kissed at Loki’s scent glands again, causing the omega’s eyes to flutter closed at the jolt that ran through him. “I want to hold you, Loki.”

Loki ran his fingers through Thor’s hair, pulling him closer and lifting his head up so that he could kiss him again. “Well I’m not stopping you.”

This seemed to be the only permission Thor was looking for, and he moved to kiss at Loki’s scent glands again, before tracing kisses down his neck and to his collarbone.

Loki moved to take off his shirt, relieved that the night air was warm and humid.

Once his shirt was off, Thor immediately moved to draw a pink nipple into his mouth, pulling Loki into his lap, and swirling his tongue around the bud before letting it pop from his mouth. 

Loki’s chest wasn’t very sensitive, but Thor’s ministrations still felt nice, so he didn’t stop him, biting a lower lip when Thor moved to gently twist and pull at his other nipple.

Once Loki’s nipples were puffy and red, Thor ceased his relentless attack on them, heading back up to kiss Loki’s lips.

The pair made out for some time, their movements not rushed or hurried.

They basked in each other’s touch, and lavished numerous kisses upon their skin, stripping down between touches.

They were currently on one of the comfortable couches on the yacht on the outside deck, so Loki knew he would have to keep his voice down while they were out here, so that they wouldn’t wake anyone up.

“Tell me now if you want to stop,” murmured Thor, his hands ghosting over Loki’s ass.

Loki shook his head, arching in Thor’s hold when the alpha gripped him tightly. “I don’t.”

Thor kissed at his neck again, the scent wafting from the glands drawing him in deeper and deeper to whatever spell Loki was placing him under. “Are you certain?”

Loki nodded, knowing that he _ did _ want this.

Although whatever they were doing was confusing, he still wanted to take whatever he could get from Thor.

Even if they did “break up” after Freyr’s wedding, Loki still wanted to be with Thor, and get to know him during this pretend relationship.

He knew he’d be left broken-hearted in the end, but… being here in Thor’s arms, with the alpha pressing warm kisses into his skin, Loki found that he didn’t care.

Because he wanted to do what they were doing, _ now _.

Thor spreading him and pushing a thick finger into him brought him back to the moment at hand, and he made a soft sound, trying to relax as Thor prepped him.

When the alpha began to stroke at his prostate, Loki found himself letting out a low moan, and he began to run his hand along Thor’s length, trying to learn what made Thor groan or sigh in pleasure.

“Twist your hand a bit, closer to the base,” murmured Thor, rewarding Loki with a soft grunt when the omega did so.

Loki continued his movements, running his thumb gently along the large vein on the side of Thor’s cock, and continuing to test different things, to see what made Thor react.

When he felt ready for him, he slowed his movements, looking into the alpha’s eyes. “I’m ready.”

Thor kissed at his scent glands again and hummed, helping Loki up onto his knees so that Loki could go at his own pace, and ride him.

Loki grabbed at Thor’s length and stroked him a few times, before guiding him to his entrance, and beginning to lower himself.

Thor’s thick head pushed its way into him, and Loki groaned, slowly sinking down on Thor.

Once Thor was fully in him, Loki panted, trying to relax so that he could move.

Thor kissed at his neck and collarbones while Loki adjusted, hands coming to Loki’s hips to hold him in place and guide him when the omega began to rock his hips.

Loki draped his arms around Thor’s neck and continued to ride him, his movements quickening when he finally relaxed.

Thor gave a test snap of his hips, and thrust up into Loki, smiling when Loki arched and cried out.

“You have to be quiet,” murmured Thor, holding Loki in place as he continued to thrust up into him. “You’ll wake everyone up.”

Loki tried to stifle his cries, biting his lower lip, and snapping his eyes shut when a particular thrust sent sparks down his spine.

Thor shifted them until Loki was on his back, and the omega wrapped his arms around Thor’s torso, his head falling back and a cry leaving his lips once Thor began to move into him more earnestly.

He tried his best to be quiet, but every snap of Thor’s hips had Loki seeing stars, and he held onto the alpha and burrowed his face into Thor’s scent glands to stifle his cry as he came.

Thor held Loki close and continued to fuck him, slanting his lips against his in the hopes that he could stifle some of his moaning.

Thor wasn’t too far behind Loki, and came, breaking their kiss to groan beside Loki’s ear.

The pair kissed through the waves of pleasure and smiled at each other softly, each of them not exactly knowing how to progress or acknowledge the change in their relationship, but deciding that they would keep things as they are, and not address it.

Loki felt a surge of confidence when Thor kissed his temple, and drew Thor’s lips back to his own, kissing him deeply.

Thor was pleasantly surprised by Loki initiating the kiss, and smiled, kissing him back quickly. “We should probably head to bed.”

Loki sighed softly, wishing that it was just he and Thor on this yacht.

He initially felt embarrassed to think this, but the more Thor touched or stared at him gently, the less ashamed he felt about his thoughts.

He told himself that he would manage to woo Thor by the time Freyr’s wedding rolled around, and if he could manage to get Thor to even consider marrying and having children in the future -even if it wasn’t with him- Loki knew that he had at least accomplished his goal.

He kissed Thor once more before shifting, getting dressed again. 

This trip that they were on brought out a lot of hidden emotions and desires from the pair, and as they walked back to their bedroom, Loki thought about his mission, and how he would carry it out.

Thor _ was _ showing interest in him, but that didn’t mean that he wanted to date him.

Loki just had to figure out how to sneak his way into Thor’s heart.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

To his complete surprise, the rest of their time in the Cayman Islands was fantastic, and Loki was able to learn a lot about Thor from Freyr, who seemed intent on getting to know everything there was to know about Loki.

Talking to Freyr about Thor helped Loki get a better view of who Thor was, and why he was the man that he was, which only made his mission easier.

Getting Thor to fall in love with him by Freyr’s wedding was a monumental feat, but it was still something that could be done.

There were few things Loki had ever given up on in his life, and Thor’s heart was _ not _ going to be one of them.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor wasn’t sure how to progress his relationship with Loki.

They got back from the islands two days ago, and it was now Monday.

Other than good morning, Thor hadn’t really talked to Loki, and he was frustrated with himself for only being able to think about Loki.

Every time someone knocked on his office door, he felt hope rise within him, only for it to be dashed away when he saw that it wasn’t the omega.

Towards the end of his workday, he decided that he would ask Loki out to dinner, to gauge where the omega’s mind was at.

If he said _ yes _, then that would let Thor know that Loki was at least getting used to the idea of getting to know him more intimately.

If he said _ no _, then… Thor would just have to get more creative.

A knock on his door stirred him from his thoughts, and he sighed, calling out for whoever it was to enter.

To his surprise, it was Loki, his ever-present tablet in his hands. “Mr. Odinson, you made a mistake on the report you were hoping to send to John. Quite a few of them actually.”

Thor frowned, sitting up in his chair at his desk.

He never made mistakes.

“What do you mean I made a mistake?”

Loki made his way over to Thor’s side, showing him the tablet’s screen. “On line 23, you put the decimal in the wrong place. On line 36, you were off by a few numbers. And _ here _, your analysis is a bit vague. I had some trouble making sense of it, so I know John will be completely confused.”

Thor overlooked what Loki was pointing out, seeing that Loki was correct.

“Norns… such a simple mistake, too.”

Loki sighed softly, knowing how upset Thor must be. The alpha _ never _ made mistakes in his work. 

_ Never _.

“We all have our days, Mr. Odinson. You’re paying me to look out for mistakes like this, and for me to help ease the burden of being CEO.”

Thor had a slight frown on his face, still not happy that he made such simple mistakes. 

“Would you like me to fix them for you?”

“No, that’s alright,” murmured Thor, pulling up the report on his own computer, and quickly fixing the mistakes. “Thank you.”

Loki nodded and turned to leave, surprised when Thor called out to him again.

“Loki?”

He paused, turning back around to face Thor. “Yes?”

“I was wondering if you’d be willing to join me tonight for dinner?”

“Oh, do your parents want to have dinner together? That’s fine.”

“I actually meant just the two of us.”

_ Oh _.

Loki felt a fierce blush spreading across his face at the question. “Oh… um… I can’t. I’m meeting with my parents and brothers for dinner tonight. But if we could reschedule for tomorrow night, I would love to.”

Thor nodded, a bit disappointed that they couldn’t go tonight, but happy that Loki was willing to go tomorrow. “Then I’ll make reservations for a restaurant tomorrow.”

Loki nodded, turning to leave the room again.

He was happy that Thor asked him out to dinner, and found himself thinking of it throughout the rest of his day.

After returning from the Cayman Islands, Loki had dedicated himself to making Thor fall for him, and although it had only been two days since their return, Loki was still determined to make this work.

He understood that what he was trying to do was a momentous task, one that would take much time and effort to complete, but it was still something he wanted to do.

Thor had spoken to him and treated him with such a gentleness throughout his heat, and even after it the alpha was still attentive.

Every time they were intimate on the trip after his heat, Thor always asked if he was comfortable proceeding, and never made Loki feel like he was being coerced into doing something. 

When Thor touched his body, it was with a reverence that Loki had never received before, and when he spoke to him now, there was a tinge of care that Loki had never noticed before.

Thor was still very professional at work -Loki wouldn’t want it any other way, as what they were doing was technically illegal and against company policy- but being asked out to dinner by the alpha was a nice surprise that put a pep in his step as he carried out his job.

When it was 6 pm, Loki signed off and made his way to Thor’s office, not surprised to see that Thor was still working.

Thor looked up when Loki entered his office and smiled softly, his mood lifting when he saw him. “Hey. Are you leaving for the day?”

Loki nodded, everything in him telling him to kiss Thor goodbye, and his mind shooting back that he and Thor weren’t even _ dating _, so that would be something too ludicrous to do.

He needed to control himself better. “Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Loki didn’t want to turn and leave, and suddenly remembered that he was supposed to give a flash drive to Thor from the CFO.

This would be his chance.

“Oh, that reminds me. Micheal wanted you to look over a file on this flash drive. He said it’s labeled for you in a folder, so it’s easy to find.”

Thor hummed, gently taking the flash drive when Loki walked over to hand it to him, and managing to get their fingers to brush against each other while doing so.

Seeing Loki blush from something so simple made Thor smile, and he began to think that wooing Loki _ might _ not be as hard as he originally believed. “Thank you, Loki.”

Loki nodded, cursing at himself when he intertwined he and Thor’s fingers.

He hated that his body kept reacting before his mind had the chance to rationalize the right decisions.

Thor didn’t seem to mind though, and instead brought Loki’s knuckles to his lips, kissing them softly. “Enjoy dinner with your family tonight, Loki. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Loki nodded and smiled when Thor squeezed his hand affectionately and let go, wanting to kiss him even more now.

It seemed like Loki wanted something more but was too proud to ask or take the initiative, so Thor quirked up an eyebrow, beginning to tease him. “Should I kiss you goodbye?”

Loki’s face was beet red now, and he huffed, looking away from Thor and beginning to babble. “I-I-I-”

Thor laughed, taking Loki’s hand again. “I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I understand that what we’re doing could be perceived to be something that it’s not, considering our positions.” He kissed the omega’s knuckles again. “I will still respect you if you reject my advances.”

Loki found his thumb absentmindedly rubbing at the back of Thor’s hand, and realized that he was unable to say anything, not knowing what to make of this.

This was the clearest indication that he’d received from Thor regarding what they were doing, and hearing that the alpha was interested enough in him still to do things like this, _ had _ to mean something.

Finally, he nodded, squeezing Thor’s hand but not letting go. “Then… know that I won’t reject them. As long as you remain professional around our colleagues, I have no complaints.”

Thor hummed softly, pulling Loki closer until the omega sat in his lap. “Are you certain?”

Loki nodded, embarrassed beyond belief.

“Then let’s have fun together.”

Loki found himself nodding to the statement, and closed his eyes when Thor kissed him, that familiar warmth spreading through him as the alpha held him close.

He did appreciate Thor always asking about his comfort before he did something, as he understood the thin line they were both treading upon.

He was taking a risk with Loki, as he was his subordinate. All it would take was one complaint from Loki to HR about sexual harassment and unwanted advances, and his career was over. 

Even if Loki didn’t complain to HR, the last thing Thor wanted to do was put Loki in a position where he felt unsafe, or felt as if he could not speak up, and voice his concerns.

So as long as they continued whatever it was that they were doing, Thor would always ask Loki before doing anything.

He knew the omega had a family dinner to get to, so he placed a lingering kiss against his lips, his hand coming to rest comfortably on Loki’s hip. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Loki.”

Loki fought against kissing Thor again and nodded, staring deeply into the alpha’s eyes, and wondering how it was possible to like someone so much when you only discovered who they were at their core a mere month ago.

Instead, he patted at Thor’s chest, smoothing out the fabric. “I have a taste for Thai. I trust that you’ll find an amazing place for dinner?”

Thor smirked, his thumb continuing to rub at the crest of Loki’s hip. “I already have a place in mind.”

Loki found that the desire to kiss Thor again was overwhelming and he decided to give in, kissing him gently. “Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Kissing Thor seemed to make the alpha smile, and he rubbed at Loki’s hip again, not wanting to keep him from his family dinner any longer.

A loud knock on Thor’s door caused Loki to shoot out of Thor’s lap, and for Thor to straighten his tie, trying to make his voice sound clear and concise. “Come in.”

Their CFO walked in, which made Loki relieved that all he and Thor did was kiss.

“Hey, I was wondering if you had a chance to look at the flash drive.”

Thor cleared his throat, nodding at Loki as the omega turned to leave his office. “Not yet, unfortunately. Loki just gave me the flash drive.”

Loki slipped out of Thor’s office after nodding at the CFO, and left, heading towards his family dinner.

Thor had told him that he wanted them to have “fun”, and Loki spent his entire night thinking over that term.

Having fun could mean so many things, and Loki didn’t know which way Thor meant it.

The alpha most likely meant that they would continue their sexual relationship behind closed doors, but… the alpha wouldn’t have asked him out to dinner if that were true. 

If it was purely sexual, the alpha wouldn’t care enough to take him out to dinner.

Loki wished that he wasn’t afraid of rejection so that he could just ask Thor what they were doing.

But he was terrified that if he did ask, this magical spell between them would be broken, and Thor would put an end to whatever it was that they were doing.

And that was something that Loki didn’t want to happen.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor admittedly spent the entire next day thinking about his date with Loki.

His time with him during their trip had really opened his eyes to who Loki was at his core, and seeing him speak to Freyr and getting to know the alpha really surprised him.

He knew that their relationship seemed real to everyone else, but knowing that Loki was putting actual effort into getting to know the people closest to him made him feel something.

It made him feel like he could give Loki an actual chance, and allow himself to explore a healthy union as well.

He hadn’t been in a relationship he genuinely cared about since he proposed to a woman in college, and… and knowing that he wanted to try again was a terrifying thought.

The soul-crushing heartbreak that came from proposing to the one you believed was the love of your life only to be rejected, and discovering that she was with someone that he once called a close friend, was something that Thor could admit he never healed from.

Spending Loki’s heat with him seemed to have fast-tracked his heart, as falling for someone after only a month of seriously knowing them was alarming.

He knew that he wasn’t in love with the omega, but he was very interested in him, and was certain that he wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with the man. 

Admitting that was scary for him, as he honestly hadn’t been this interested in someone since college.

Sure, he’d dated around, and had been with other omegas in the 20 years since, but none of them were as beguiling as Loki.

He’d never fallen so hard so fast for someone before and decided that this dinner tonight would help him determine the best way to figure out what he and Loki were doing.

He’d made a reservation at an upscale Thai restaurant just like Loki requested, and texted him the address and time to be there -8pm- making sure that he arrived 15 minutes early.

Seeing Loki walk-in made him smile, and he stood, pulling out Loki’s chair for him when he finally made it to their table. 

Loki blushed at the action but wasn’t bothered by the gesture, and scooted up to the table, unable to stop smiling. “You look nice.”

Thor hummed, sitting down across from the omega. “As do you. Thank you for meeting with me tonight.”

Loki nodded, greeting the waiter who approached him and letting him know he wanted a mixed drink and a glass of water.

Thor ordered the same thing, and reached out to take Loki’s hand when the waiter walked away, rubbing his thumb over the back of it. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Loki’s heart skipped a beat, and he nodded, waiting for Thor to continue.

“I enjoyed our time together on the islands. And… and I understand that things escalated quite quickly because we spent your heat together.”

Loki began to get nervous, not knowing where Thor was going with this. “I can admit that things have progressed relatively quickly between us.” He finally looked up at Thor, hating that he couldn’t determine Thor’s mood from his unreadable expression. “Would you like things to stop? I understand that I am a liability to you.”

Thor rubbed at the back of Loki’s hand again, not wanting him to worry. “I’d like things to continue. But I need you to understand that I’m not just wanting a sexual relationship.”

_ Oh. _

Loki’s eyes shot open in shock, and he blinked in rapid succession, beginning to get flustered. “What are you trying to say?”

“I would like us to truly get to know each other. I understand that this only ever happened because of me lying to Freyr, but… I think it would be very nice to truly pursue this.”

Hearing that Thor felt the same as him boggled his mind, and he opened and closed his mouth, not knowing how to respond.

“I don’t want you to feel forced into this. If you would like me to tell Freyr that we ended things, so that you no longer are involved with me, then I will do so. And if you ask me to stop pursuing you, then I will. If you would like to change departments, then I will help you do so.”

Loki quickly shook his head, not wanting Thor to think this at all. “That’s not what I want.”

Thor didn’t say anything and waited for Loki to explain further.

It made Loki nervous to be honest about his feelings with Thor, as things did progress very quickly between them.

But if Thor was agreeing to try and pursue a romantic relationship with him, then he would try too.

Taking a sip of his drink, Loki finally looked over at Thor, steeling himself, and telling himself that this was the _ exact _ scenario that he wanted. “I would like to see where things go between us as well. I understand that I am _ young _, but… nevertheless, I would like to pursue something of a romantic nature with you.”

Thor smiled, and seeing him smile so genuinely only made a smile spread across Loki’s face as well. “Wonderful.”

He brought Loki’s knuckles to his mouth to kiss, relieved that they were finally clear on what they were doing, and their expectations of it. “Would you like to switch departments?”

Loki shook his head no, still wanting to be Thor’s assistant.

Thor was a busy man, and if Loki transferred now, they would never see each other, and then their newfound relationship would fail, and Loki would be left broken-hearted and alone, just like he always feared.

“I still want to work under you. If our relationship becomes more serious, then I’ll switch departments.”

“Are you certain?”

“If this makes you uncomfortable, then I’ll switch. I don’t want you to worry about me reporting you to HR.”

Thor honestly considered this, as he knew that although their relationship was pleasant now, it might not always be.

And it would only take one complaint from Loki to end Thor’s entire career.

Loki being his assistant meant that they could see each other during their workday, but… even that too could arouse suspicion. 

If someone else caught onto their relationship, or had speculations, he could still get in trouble.

“If we are going to pursue this, I would like it if you changed departments.”

Loki wasn’t surprised, and sighed softly, sipping at his drink again. “I’ll probably move to the marketing department, then.”

“I’ll refer you; there shouldn’t be an issue getting you over there.”

Loki couldn’t help but worry about their new relationship now that he wouldn’t be Thor’s assistant, but he told himself that his desires were still true.

He wanted to know Thor better, and he _ wanted _ a relationship with the man. If he could open up Thor’s heart again to love, and at least get him to consider marriage and children, then… this would be enough.

It was still too early to think of marriage and children yet though, so Loki brushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, choosing to give himself and Thor a shot.

If it ended up not working out, then he wouldn’t have to see Thor anymore.

And he hoped that if that ever happened, that he would be okay.

Sharing his heat with Thor and experiencing the alpha being so attentive and caring had really made Loki see Thor in a different light, and now that he’d experienced this side of Thor, he was loathed to let it go.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would honestly LOVE to hear where you guys might want this story to go.
> 
> As you all know, I don't have a beta reader for any of my stories, so sometimes I do get writer's block or get stuck when trying to determine where to take a story. All of your comments are really helpful to me, and getting an idea of what you're all wanting to see helps as well.
> 
> Thank you for reading as always!!! Yall are so awesome T.T


	5. Happiness

✬⭒✭⭒✮  


It took about two weeks to finish transferring over to the marketing department, and Loki was excited that he was able to transfer over to a team that worked directly under the director of marketing. His degree had been in marketing and finance, so it was nice to be able to put it to use once again.

It admittedly still felt strange for him to not report to Thor each day, or to be around him constantly, but he knew eventually that he’d get used to it, as this was necessary if they were going to officially date.

He didn’t want Thor’s job or reputation to be at risk, and since he’d moved departments, it seemed that minor rumors about why he moved began to spread.

It wasn’t against company policy for coworkers to date, and as long as two people were not boss and subordinate, they were allowed to be romantically linked. Loki still wanted their work environment to be as professional as possible, so he requested that Thor keep their relationship a secret for now.

His first day officially working on his new team was quite exciting, and although he was a bit sad that he was no longer able to see Thor all day every day, it was nice to know that he now had the opportunity to grow within the company, and work on some of his personal goals.

Before leaving his role as Thor’s assistant, the alpha had written him a check for $80,000 as a parting gift, wanting to hold true to their initial agreement. Loki rejected the check in the beginning because they were officially dating now, and he didn’t feel it was just to accept it when this was considered. Thor had been adamant about it though, so after going back and forth for a few minutes, Loki finally accepted, thanking Thor.

The alpha let him know that it was per their agreement, and now that it was nulled because they were officially dating, Thor didn’t want to go back on his word.

The gesture was so sweet to Loki, and he couldn’t help but regard Thor in a fonder light, touched that Thor still wanted to adhere to their previous agreement.

Loki had been searching for an apartment since he and Thor started to pretend to date, and he’d finally found a  _ much _ nicer apartment that wasn’t too far from his job. He’d be moving in that weekend and Thor had agreed to help him, so Loki couldn’t help but get excited at the  _ naughty  _ prospect of breaking the place in.

That  _ would _ have to wait though, as today was Monday. It was his first day in his new department, and he couldn’t help but smile at the rush of excitement and nervous anticipation rushing through him as he left his old desk. With a large box in his hands, Loki got on the elevator and made his way down to the 16th floor, relieved when he saw his new boss waiting there for him.

The alpha woman smiled when she saw him and reached out, taking the box from his hands. “It’s a pleasure to have you in our department, Loki. Let me carry this for you.”

Loki began to protest, but the woman wouldn’t hear it, carrying the box in her arms like it was nothing. “Nonsense, love. This barely weighs anything to an alpha like me.”

Loki laughed softly, following his boss to his new work area. “Thank you, Sigyn. I’m excited to work on the team.”

His new boss led him deeper into the area, and scanned her badge into a locked section, holding the door open for Loki. “After you.”

Loki entered the marketing department and couldn’t help but grin, knowing that  _ this _ was where he wanted to be. The buzz of rushing to meet a deadline and the conversations that brainstormed new ideas made Loki’s heart soar, as  _ this _ is where he wanted to be all along. “Norns…”

“Your desk is right over here in this cubicle,” called out his boss, walking him over to a large cubicle that was right outside her office. “You’ll be working directly under me with a team of three. Together, all of you are managers in this department.”

Loki was pleased to hear this and hummed softly, setting down the rest of his things.

In this cubicle, there were three others; an alpha male, a beta male, and an omega female. All three of them smiled at Loki as their boss set his things down and stood, wanting to introduce themselves.

The alpha male introduced himself first, reaching out to shake Loki’s hand with a cocky smile on his face. “Name’s Svadilfari. And you are?”

Loki politely shook his hand, making a mental note to be wary of this coworker. “Loki. Loki Laufeyson.”

“You used to work under the CEO, right?”

Loki nodded, beginning to open his box and organize his desks. “I did.”

The beta male was next, and he walked over to Loki, a shy smile on his face as he spoke. “Hey. I’m Angrboda. Nice to meet you.”

Loki smiled in return, setting down a clock before shaking his hand. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”

Finally, the female omega greeted Loki, a relieved smile on her face. “I’m Natalie. It’s so relieving to not be the only omega manager on this team anymore.”

Svadilfari snorted, raising an eyebrow at her. “We have someone else to look at now, Natalie.”

Loki did  _ not _ like the sound of that, and looked to their boss, who had an annoyed look on her face. “Can it, Svad. I get enough complaints about you as it is. You’re lucky you’re still here.”

This seemed to put the alpha in his place, so Loki turned away from him, continuing to set up his desk.

Sighing softly, Sigyn looked at the watch on her wrist, addressing Loki. “Loki, there will be a meeting with you and your new team in half an hour inside meeting room A. Please try and keep this meeting no longer than 30 minutes. I would preferably like it to be only 15.”

Loki nodded, excited about having his own team that would work under him.

It didn’t take him long to finish setting up his desk, and once it was finished he logged onto his computer, organizing his desktop the way he wanted, and setting it up for when he would return to his work after his meeting.

A quick call to their caterer was made so that some bagels and spread could be brought up for his meeting, and he made his way to the meeting room, wanting to make sure that everything he needed was there.

He admittedly felt nervous about this meeting though, as he knew that there would be some people that believed he only got this position because of his connections. This was the absolute furthest thing from the truth, as Loki had interviewed for this position just like everyone else. He sold himself and his skills just like everyone else who applied for this job, and those hiring seemed to feel that he was the best fit for the job.

Reminding himself of this helped him feel better about having this meeting, and took in a steadying, reassuring breath, knowing that he could do this. He would do his best to make the most of this opportunity.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Friday made it a week since he officially transferred over to the marketing department, and Loki was relieved that everything seemed to be going smoothly. 

Of course, the alpha on his team -Svadilfari- proved to be just as annoying and cocky as Loki believed he would be, and he found himself feeling bad for those that worked under him. The alpha continued to flirt with him throughout the entirety of this week and had asked him out to lunch and dinner so many times Loki thought he would lose his mind.

Tonight though he’d be having lunch with Thor and his parents, so the omega was excited. He’d be spending the night at Thor’s place and then the next morning they would be helping Loki move into his new apartment, so he hoped that his weekend would prove itself to be more enjoyable than the week he’d had.

“Do you have any plans for the weekend, Loki?”

Angrboda’s question pulled Loki from his daydreaming, and he hummed softly, looking over at the beta. The shy beta sat next to him in the large cubicle and wasn’t an unpleasant person, so Loki usually didn’t mind talking to him. “I do. I’m moving into a new apartment this weekend.”

“That sounds rough. Do you need any help?”

Loki shook his head. “Thank you for offering, but I’ll be fine. My boyfriend is helping me move.” He didn’t miss the way the beta’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Loki having a boyfriend, but he ignored it, brushing it off as confusion.

“You’re dating someone?”

Loki didn’t like speaking about his personal life at work, and he  _ definitely _ didn’t want anyone to find out about him and Thor -there were enough rumors as it is- so he nodded quickly, trying to end the conversation. “I am. Did you finish your portion of the report that Sigyn wanted done before we left for the day?”

This seemed to make Angrboda realize that he was prying, and he babbled, turning back to his computer. “L-Let me finish that now.”

Loki had already finished his -he was eager to meet Thor and his parents for dinner- so he stood, logging off his computer. “I will see all of you on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend.”

Natalie waved goodbye to him, smiling and wishing him the same.

To Loki's frustration, Svadilfari stood right along with him, which put a bitter look on the omega’s face. “I’m headed out too. I’ve finished my portion.”

Loki  _ hated _ that Svadilfari was so intent on wooing him, and walked with him to Sigyn’s office, waiting to be given permission to enter.

They promptly turned in their reports upon entering the room, and as Loki turned to leave Sigyn called out to him, wanting to speak privately. “Loki, may I speak to you?” She shot Svadilfari a dark look. “ _ Privately?” _

Loki nodded and turned back towards his boss, sitting down in front of Sigyn’s desk. “Of course.”

His boss waited for them to be alone before speaking. “How are you adjusting to our team?”

“I enjoy working with all of you. This is a very pleasant team to work with.”

Sigyn had a knowing smirk on her face. “Even Svad?”

Loki couldn’t help but grimace, which caused Sigyn to laugh. “He means no harm. If he ever says anything that you feel crosses the line, then please let me know. I like to try and retain my employees for as long as possible.”

Relief flooded through Loki when he heard this. “Thank you, Sigyn. Is this everything you wanted to speak about?”

Sigyn nodded, watching Loki stand with a look he didn’t know what to make of. “Have an excellent weekend, Loki.”

“...You too, Sigyn. See you Monday.”

He felt as if Sigyn was leering over him as he left her office, but tossed that idea from his mind, not wanting to jump to conclusions.

He was most likely still annoyed and aware because of Svadilfari.

“So where are we going for dinner tonight?”

Loki jumped as Svadilfari appeared next to him, too angry to be confused. “Where  _ I _ am going is none of your concern.”

He was pissed that snapping at the alpha didn’t deter him, as he was followed to the elevator. He counted down the seconds as he rode down to the bottom floor, with Svadilfari continuing to yammer on and on about taking Loki out.

“I know the perfect Brazilian restaurant. I can make a reservation for us.”

“No thank you,” huffed Loki, exiting the elevator as quickly as possible once it made it to the ground floor.

He would wait for Thor in their cafe in the building, and then they would ride to dinner together.

Svadildfari sitting down with him at the cafe pissed Loki off even more, and he wondered why this man couldn’t take a hint. “Why are you so insistent on following me?”

“Because you’re gorgeous, and I’m  _ not _ backing off without giving it my all.”

“Well I am  _ taken _ , and very happy in my relationship.”

Svadilfari snorted, not believing Loki. “That’s what all omegas say. Before the year is over, you’ll be begging to be with me.”

“Ragnarok could happen, and I  _ still _ wouldn’t want to be with you.” Deadpanned Loki, not impressed. “Now leave me alone.”

Svadilfari did anything but that. “Who are you waiting for? Your boyfriend?”

“No. I’m waiting for an associate.”

Loki was counting down the  _ seconds _ until Thor made it down here, and was frustrated that Svadilfari couldn’t take a hint. The Norns must’ve heard his prayer though, as Thor rounded the corner and entered the cafe half a minute later, nodding at a few people he knew as he made his way over to Loki.

Loki stood immediately once he saw Thor and smiled, fighting against the strong impulse to hug him close and kiss him. “Hello.”

Thor smiled softly, happy that Loki was so happy to see him. “Hey. Ready to go?”

Loki nodded, resisting the even stronger urge to hold Thor’s hand. “I am.”

He left Svadilfari sputtering at the table and followed Thor out of the cafe and to the alpha’s car. “Norns, you came at the perfect time. That horrid man would  _ not _ stop talking.”

Thor snorted, opening Loki’s door for him. “Is he one of your coworkers?”

Loki nodded, waiting until Thor entered the car before explaining further. “He’s been hitting on me all week.”

Thor frowned when he heard this, pulling out of the parking lot. “Are you going to report him?”

“No. He hasn’t done anything too serious. He just flirts and asks me out to dinner every night. I’m sure after a few weeks he’ll realize that I’m being serious when I say I’m not interested.”

“If it gets to be too frustrating, please don’t hesitate to report him to your director or HR.”

Loki blushed when Thor reached out to take his hand in his, and rubbed his thumb over the back of the alpha’s hand, a soft smile on his face. “I won't.”

Their conversation remained lighthearted as they made their way to the restaurant they were meeting Thor’s parents at, and once they made it inside and spotted Thor’s parents Loki smiled, accepting Frigga’s warm hug. “Hello, Mrs. Frigga. It’s so nice to see you again.”

Frigga let out a joyous laugh, hugging Loki tighter. “It warms my heart every time I see you, Loki dear. How are you?”

“I’m fine. And you?”

Frigga released Loki, still smiling up proudly at him. “I am splendid, child.”

Thor found it amusing that his own mother hugged Loki first before him, and pulled her into his arms when she finally let go of Loki. “Hello, Mother.”

Frigga kissed Thor’s cheek, rubbing at his side. “Hello, Thor. Thank you for meeting your father and me for dinner.”

Loki reached out to shake Odin’s hand politely after hugging Frigga, stunned when Odin pulled him in for a warm hug. “Oh… hello, sir.”

Odin patted at his back, a proud smile on his face too. “It’s nice to see you again.”

After pleasantries had been distributed all around, Thor pulled out Loki’s seat for him and helped him sit, kissing his cheek once he pushed him back into the table.

Thor being affectionate with him was nice, and now that they were actually dating, Loki couldn’t help but grin every time he was on the receiving end of Thor’s affection.

Frigga seemed to feel the same and grinned even prouder, staring at the pair with all the happiness and love she could muster. “Norns, the sight of you both warms my very heart.”

It filled Thor with immense relief and pride to see his parents so happy. He knew that they had been wanting him to be with someone he loved for the  _ longest _ , and now that he was dating Loki, he was relieved that they were working on getting there.

He didn’t have to pretend anymore.

“Thor, how did you meet Loki? I don’t believe you’ve told us…”

“Uh… he was my assistant,” answered Thor, knowing that the truth would have to come out sooner or later.

Odin frowned when Thor confessed this, raising an eyebrow at the pair. “Surely he isn’t anymore?”

“I’m not,” assured Loki, knowing that Odin wouldn’t overlook a relationship like that in his company. “I’m a manager in the marketing department now.”

Hearing this relaxed Odin some, but they could both see that Odin didn’t like the idea of Loki and Thor being in the same company since they were together. “How long has it been?”

Loki and Thor shared a look before Loki answered warily. “Since I switched departments? Or the beginning of our relationship?”

“Both.”

“I recently transferred to the marketing department this month, and Thor and I began dating about 7 and a half months ago. We agreed that I would transfer when things became more serious between us.”

Hearing this made Odin and Frigga’s eyes jump to Loki’s ring finger, and they both seemed disappointed to see that the pair weren’t engaged. “Are there talks of engagement, then?”

Thor couldn’t say he was surprised to hear the question, and sighed, sharing another look with Loki. “Um… I-I don’t know?”

Frigga tutted, obviously displeased with Thor’s answer. “I’ve been waiting for 15 years, so I  _ suppose _ I can wait a bit longer.” She sent a calculated look Thor’s way. “Of course, I can’t wait forever. I need grandchildren, Thor. Your father and I both want them.”

“Y-You already have grandchildren! Hermod has 2 kids!” Answered Thor, beginning to get flustered.

“Yes but you are our  _ oldest _ . You can’t wait forever, Thor.”

The alpha looked away, knowing that his mother spoke the truth. “I know.”

Loki took over then, not wanting Thor to feel too pressured to give him a ring and a family. “I’m still young, so we have plenty of time for rings and babies in the far,  _ far _ future, Mrs. Frigga.”

This wasn’t the answer Frigga wanted, but Loki could tell that she had no choice but to accept it. “I suppose you’re right, dear… just promise me I’ll be one of the first to know when you’re engaged.”

Loki laughed softly, agreeing to this. “Of course.”

This seemed to placate Frigga, so they all spoke of more trivial things throughout the rest of dinner, agreeing to meet up for dinner once again at the end of the month.

Loki was spending the night at Thor’s penthouse tonight, and couldn’t help but look forward to being able to be alone and intimate with Thor again.

Dating Thor proved itself to be more heart-warming than Loki ever imagined, and he had a constant smile on his face while he interacted with the alpha.

Thor reaching out to rest a comforting hand on his thigh as they drove home made Loki melt, and he smiled softly, turning to look over at Thor. “Dinner wasn’t so bad tonight.”

Thor hummed softly. “I feel terrible for causing my parents so much strife about waiting so long to get married and start a family.”

“Well, you’re 40… you still have time. Not  _ much _ , but… enough, nevertheless.”

Thor shot a curious glance over at Loki. “How do you feel about this?”

“About what? Your mother pressuring you to get married and have kids?”

“Well, yes, but… how do you feel about me waiting so long?”

Loki remained silent for quite some time, wanting to choose his words very carefully. “Well… there must be a reason that you haven’t settled down yet. If you aren’t ready then you aren’t ready. And no one can force you to do something that you’re not ready to do. It isn’t fair to you and it isn’t fair to the other party.”

“Do you want to get married and have a family of your own?”

Loki’s heart beat faster than it ever had before when Thor asked him this. “I do. I’ve always wanted these things, but… I understand that they will happen when the time is right. I’m still young.” He laughed then, trying not to sound too bitter. “If I’m 40 and not married and don’t have any children, then I’ll just adopt.”

Thor hummed, Loki’s answer giving him many things to consider. “How long would you date someone before leaving if they never proposed?”

“I don’t think I can place a time limit on that. If the person I’m dating hasn’t proposed after years of dating, then I would obviously try to get to the core of the reason. If it can be worked out between the two of us, then we would talk about getting to the point where we feel we’re both ready for marriage. If my partner doesn’t want to get married at  _ all _ , and there’s nothing that will sway them or change their mind, then… I have no choice but to leave. It isn’t right for either of us to compromise on something we hold true, just to make the other happy. Couples shouldn’t suffer to make the other happy.”

This was a very mature way to address their situation without putting too much pressure on either side, and it made Thor look at Loki in a new light, and with greater respect.

“That was an incredibly profound answer.”

Loki snorted, finally looking over at Thor once he realized that his answer didn’t push him away. “Thank you.”

Thor’s next question absolutely  _ stunned _ Loki. “Would you ever have a child before getting married?”

Loki made a face, thinking of the best way to answer his question. “... I would prefer to have a child while married, as I don’t want to be a single mother, and I don’t want my child growing up between two households. But if I ever got pregnant before getting married, then I wouldn’t force my partner to marry me. Marriage should happen because both parties are in love, and want to make that commitment to each other.”

Hearing Loki’s answers did relieve Thor, as he didn’t think he could date Loki if the omega tried to force him to propose when/if they got serious.

Loki decided to shift Thor’s focus onto something else, and cleared his throat, catching his attention. “My parents and brothers are coming over to help me move tomorrow.”

Thor hadn’t met Loki’s family before -they’d only been dating for a little under a month- but knew it would mean a lot to Loki if he met his family and got along with them in the same way Loki got along with his family. “Alright. I’m looking forward to meeting them.”

Loki visibly relaxed, so Thor affectionately squeezed his thigh, not wanting him to be worried. “I want to meet your family, Loki. It’s only fair.”

“I suppose you’re right,” murmured Loki, reaching out to rest his hand on top of Thor’s. “But I can guarantee that they won’t be as accepting of you as your family is of me. They don’t like that you’re so much older than me.”

“Really?”

“You’re 15 years older than me, Thor. Any parent would be nervous.”

Thor couldn’t say he was surprised, fully accepting that he would have to prove himself to Loki’s family.

To the outside looking in, he could definitely understand why Loki’s family felt nervous about Loki dating him. He was significantly older, he was more established, he was  _ rich _ , he wasn’t always the nicest person, and these were all things that could understandably make anyone’s family uneasy.

Sighing softly, Thor ran his thumb against Loki’s thigh, hoping that tomorrow would go well.

If Loki’s family was anything like him, it would take a  _ long _ time for Thor to prove himself to them.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Waking up with Loki in his arms was something that Thor would never get tired of experiencing.

Seeing the omega sleeping so softly in his embrace just reaffirmed that he made the right decision by finally asking Loki to date him.

Still moments like this made it all worth it, and he couldn’t help but press a gentle kiss against Loki’s temple, a comforting hand resting on the crest of his hip.

Loki was so beautiful.

The omega beginning to stir in his arms brought an even bigger smile to Thor’s face and seeing how Loki melted in his arms when they locked eyes meant everything.

Thor being the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes made Loki’s heart skip a beat, and the omega grinned, meeting Thor for a kiss. “Good morning.”

Thor hummed softly, pulling Loki closer. “Morning.”

The pair shared another kiss before relaxing back into the bed, enjoying each other’s embrace.

Their relationship had progressed rapidly after they spent Loki’s heat together, and once they agreed to date their chemistry shot through the roof, touching each other and being affectionate coming just as easy to them as speaking.

Loki stretched up to kiss Thor again, one of his lithe hands coming to rest on Thor’s broad chest. “We need to start getting ready.”

Thor couldn’t help but kiss Loki again, not wanting to let go. “5 more minutes?”

The biggest shock to Loki once he started dating Thor was how affectionate and hands-on the alpha was.

When they were behind closed doors Thor was constantly hugging or touching or kissing him, and it made Loki feel loved and important, as he knew Thor wasn’t like this with anyone else.

Thor opening up to him or showing him sides that he showed no one else was a surreal feeling, and he kissed Thor once more, giving into the alpha’s adorable request. “I  _ suppose _ . Though, you’ll have to do 5 minutes of yoga with me in exchange.”

“Deal,” Murmured the alpha, kissing at Loki’s scent glands. “You always smell so nice.”

Loki grinned at the compliment, relaxing as Thor’s continued to press soft kisses into the scent glands of his neck. “Are you trying to give me a hickey?’

“No,” Answered the alpha, seemingly under a spell. “Your scent is just pulling me in. I can’t get enough of it.”

Loki laughed as Thor peppered kisses against his jugular, tickling Thor in retaliation. “You don’t play fair.”

Thor rolled them over until Loki was under him, pinning his arms up on either side of his head so that Loki couldn’t attack him with merciless tickles anymore. “You’re acting like this is new information.”

Loki shot Thor a heated gaze, closing his eyes when the alpha leaned down to kiss him. “We can’t, Thor. I have to get home in enough time to cook breakfast for my family.”

“Not even a quick romp?” murmured the alpha, kissing Loki’s lips again.

“No, Thor. I don’t want to be late. I want them to have a good impression of you.”

Groaning softly, Thor placed a final kiss against Loki’s scent glands, begrudgingly accepting this. “I suppose we can do your yoga now.”

He rolled off of Loki then, following him out of bed and yawning into his hand. “When did your family say they would meet you?”

“12, and it’s already 10:30.”

Heading out to Thor’s living room, Loki grabbed his remote, typing in his favorite yogi into the search bar. “It’ll only be 15 minutes. Once I’m done we can shower and make our way over to my new place.”

Thor found that he liked when Loki included him in these parts of his life, and pulled out the yoga mats that had already become a staple item of Loki’s in his home.

He usually did a few stretches with the omega, and followed the gentle movements of the yogi on-screen, admittedly feeling better as he stretched.

He gave up when Loki bent over and placed his palms on the floor, as he wasn’t even able to bend over and stretch past his kneecaps. “I’m tapping out, Loki. I don’t want to pull something; I’m not as young as you.”

Loki snorted and shifted into the downward dog position, shooting an amused look Thor’s way. “Thank you for at least trying.”

Thor couldn’t help but leer at Loki, appreciating the view from where he was standing. “You’re absolutely  _ certain _ that we can’t do anything before heading to your apartment?”

“ _ No _ , Thor.” He almost laughed when he saw Thor deflate, a large part of him tickled pink that Thor always wanted to touch or hold him. “After we move everything in we’ll celebrate.”

“That sounds  _ lovely _ ,” murmured Thor, making his way over to Loki.

He grabbed the omega’s hips and snapped his own into Loki, causing the omega to break out in laughter. “Stop! You’re coming in between my morning routine.”

“You could make this a new morning routine. I wouldn’t mind.”

Loki rolled his eyes, deciding to tease Thor as well. He arched back further onto Thor, not missing how Thor twitched when he did so. “You dry humping me every morning would only distract me.”

Thor snapped his hips into Loki again, grasping at Loki’s ass appreciatively. “I think a distraction every now and then is nice.”

Loki blushed deeply, looking up at the time displayed above Thor’s plasma. It was 10:37, so if they squeezed in a quick romp, and made sure they were out of Thor’s apartment by 11:10, they would be okay.

“... If we’re on the way to my place by 11:10, then you can keep doing whatever you’re doing.”

Thor didn’t need to be told twice and immediately slipped his hands underneath Loki’s waistband, squeezing at his ass again. “How far do you want to go?”

“Do you have a condom?”

“They’re in my room…”

“Do you feel like going to get one?”

Thor honestly didn’t. “Uh…”

Loki turned a bit to look at Thor, proud of his flexibility. “I’m not on birth control right now. So unless you’re willing to risk it, you should get a condom.”

Thor knew in his heart he wasn’t willing to risk it, but he  _ also _ knew that he loved feeling Loki around him.

He’d admittedly gotten used to not wearing them with Loki because of Loki’s heat, but knew that not using a condom now would be too risky.

As much as he enjoyed Loki and being with the omega like this, he was  _ not _ ready for fatherhood. “I’ll go get one then.”

Loki hummed softly, straightening up and finishing his final pose. “Alright.”

Loki  _ did _ say that they only had time for a quick romp, so Thor grabbed just one condom, and made his way back to the living room, seeing that Loki was bent over packing up their yoga mats.

This gave him an idea…

“Hey Loki, do you think you could be fucked in that position?”

Loki blushed, straightening up slowly. “We can certainly try.”

Thor made his way over to Loki and wrapped his arms around him from behind, kissing at the scent glands on his neck. “Why are you so alluring?”

Loki blushed even deeper, happy that Thor kept complimenting him and being so affectionate. “You flatter me so much…”

Thor kissed Loki here again, a hand reaching down to palm at Loki through his night pants. “You know, when I saw this for the first time I thought it was adorable.”

Loki snorted, feeling himself beginning to harden under Thor’s touch. “I don’t think any man wants their dick to be referred to as “adorable”, Thor.”

Thor nipped at Loki’s scent glands, causing the omega to let out a soft sound. “I meant that I found it extremely fitting for you. It flushed with the most adorable color.”

Loki bit a lower lip when Thor snaked a hand under his waistband, stroking at him completely now.

The alpha moved quickly, knowing that he and Loki didn’t have much time. Shifting a hand back to Loki’s ass, Thor squeezed a cheek and kissed Loki’s scent glands again, causing the omega to shudder.

A finger found itself circling Loki’s rim before nudging into him, and Loki relaxed under Thor’s touch, not taking long before Thor relaxed him there enough to handle taking him.

Thor kissed Loki’s jugular again, catching his attention. “Are you ready for me?”

Loki nodded, taking off his sweatpants and bending over in the position he’d been in earlier when Thor dry humped him.

He did his best to arch back into Thor to tease him and yelped when Thor smacked his rear, surprisingly turned on by that.

He remained as he was and let out a low moan when he felt the thick head of Thor’s cock begin to enter him, clenching his fingers slightly and arching a bit more. “ _ Norns _ it feels so much better like this.”

Thor continued to push into him, hating that he couldn’t feel him completely.

He would ask Loki to start taking birth control after they were finished.

Once Loki’s ass rested comfortably against him, Thor waited, wanting Loki to adjust for a moment before testing out short, shallow thrusts.

Even the shallow movements had Loki seeing stars, and he cried out when Thor snapped his hips into him, the thrusts now longer and deeper.

Being angled like this stimulated everything in him that could possibly feel good, and he made a mental note to do this position more frequently, as it wasn’t uncomfortable.

He’d been doing yoga since he was a child, and was very flexible and strong because of it.

A particularly hard thrust had Loki squeezing around Thor, and the alpha moaned, pulling out of Loki slowly before snapping back into him, the sound of Loki’s ass against his pelvis like music to his ears.

_ “More,” _ gasped Loki, arching onto his toes when Thor gave it to him. “Fuck,  _ Alpha, I-I-” _

Loki felt his legs buckle when he came, and he was surprised that Thor was able to hold him up completely in this position, the alpha not seeming overexerted at all.

He couldn’t help but writhe in Thor’s arms as the alpha continued to fuck him, his oversensitivity driving him mad in the best way possible.

Thor’s hips stuttered and lost their fluid movements when he came, and he groaned low in his throat as Loki pulsed around him, carefully lowering himself and Loki to the ground.

They both laughed and panted, Loki turning around to wink at Thor. “This was a good idea. I really liked that position.”

“Me too. We’ll have to keep experimenting now that I know you’re this flexible.”

“Just make sure you don’t throw out your back.” joked Loki, sitting up and watching Thor tie off the condom.

Thor scoffed, pretending to be offended. “You act as if I’m 80.”

Loki shoved him playfully, accepting the alpha’s offered hand to help him stand. “If you eat better and do yoga with me a few times a week, your body won’t ache as much.”

Thor made a face, not willing to give up his hearty diet of meat. “There is nothing in this world that will ever make me give up burgers or steaks.”

“Yes, but if you could add some vegetables to that you’d be around much longer.”

Thor didn’t have the  _ best _ diet admittedly, and Loki had been harping him for the longest about eating better.

Of course now that they were dating, Loki only pestered him more about it.

“... If you make something healthy for breakfast that still tastes good, then I’ll eat it.”

Loki took this as a personal victory and pecked Thor’s lips, beckoning him to follow him to the bathroom so they could shower and get ready. “Just have  _ one _ healthy meal with me a day, Thor.”

This was something that Thor could begrudgingly agree to. “Fine.”

Loki laughed and pinched at Thor’s side, getting the alpha to laugh as well. “I swear I’ll make the food taste wonderful.”

Thor pinched Loki back and made him laugh even more, starting an all-out tickle war between them.

Thor hadn’t had this much fun with anyone since the woman he was with in college, and when Loki grabbed one of the shower heads and sprayed him with it, Thor laughed, grabbing another showerhead and dousing Loki as well.

Loki brought such a spontaneity into his life, and as they continued to laugh and splash each other with water, Thor took notice of Loki’s smile, his heart stopping at the beauty of it.

This moment would forever be etched into his heart, as it was then and only then that Thor realized something shocking.

He didn’t want to let go of moments like this.

No, he wanted to keep them for himself.

Loki was too beautiful and too precious to be viewed at like an insignificant relationship, one that didn’t matter or wouldn’t matter a year from now.

Loki was important.

And seeing the omega smile at him just cemented these thoughts in his heart.

He loved him.

He  _ really  _ did.

And he never wanted to let him go.

✬⭒✭⭒✮  



	6. It's Not Your Fault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this story I decided I really wanted to test myself, and experiment writing Thor and Loki in varying situations. A fellow reader recommended that I try to not do the usual "unplanned pregnancy" that ends up being the theme of my stories, so I listened, as this is something that I had been unaware of. 
> 
> I ALSO wanted to try to write Loki's family a bit darker, and my lovely Beta reader "The Trashiest Bisexual" on archive suggested that I try going this route, so I did.
> 
> I want Thor and Loki's relationship to be more realistic since they're officially together now, so I hope you like this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it :)

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor didn’t know why Loki seemed to grow more quiet and reserved the closer they got to moving him into his new apartment. While they were packing up the omega’s old place, Loki had progressively clammed up and any attempts to figure out why were met for naught. Thor had never seen Loki like this and didn’t know what to do about it, or how to handle it. 

Loki was usually so vibrant and outspoken whenever they were together, so Thor was confused and a little hurt to see Loki like this, as he wanted to help him in whatever way he could. Loki was being curt with his responses, his lips were downturned and his eyebrows furrowed every other minute it seemed, and he rejected Thor’s attempts to touch him or comfort him, which just puzzled the alpha even more.

He finally decided that he would try and speak to Loki more seriously about this once they arrived at the omega’s new place, hoping with everything in him that Loki wasn’t being this way because of something  _ he _ did. He hoped he hadn’t upset Loki by insisting they had sex before heading to Loki’s new place.

Once they reached Loki’s new apartment and moved in his dining room table, chairs, and brought in a few groceries and pots and pans, Thor was surprised to see Loki immediately begin to pull out things for breakfast. Frowning slightly, Thor followed him, placing a gentle yet concerned hand on his hip. “Loki?”

The omega froze at Thor’s touch, a pained look on his face.

This only made Thor’s concern for the omega grow, and he carefully took the pack of eggs out of Loki’s hands, placing it on a counter before holding the omega’s face in his hands. “Talk to me, love. What’s wrong?”

Loki always melted when Thor called him “love” and this moment was no different. He looked up at Thor silently and pursed his lips, not knowing how to respond. 

Rubbing at Loki’s cheek with his thumb, Thor waited for Loki to answer him, only getting more and more worried when he saw the omega tear up. He tutted softly and wiped at his tears, pulling Loki into his arms. “It’s alright, Loki. Whatever it is, just tell me. I want you to be okay.”

Loki sniffed, arms warily coming to wrap around Thor’s torso. “I’m just anxious,” He confessed, allowing the warmth of Thor’s body to calm him; even if it only helped a bit. “My family is so strict, Thor, and I  _ know _ they’re going to look down on me and make me feel terrible about this.”

“About what? You’ve recently become a manager in the marketing department, you’ve moved to a much nicer place, and you’re happy. What’s wrong with any of this?”

“It’s everything that they don’t want,” Muttered the omega, beginning to pull away from Thor. “I need to at least get a head start on breakfast, Thor.”

Thor made a mental note to try and talk to Loki later about all of this again and sighed, letting it go for now. “Well let me help you at least. What are you making?”

Loki shook his head, gently pushing Thor away. “I can do it. If you could start bringing the other boxes in, it would help.”

“... Alright.”

Thor had no idea that Loki and his family had such a strained relationship, and began to wonder what faults they believed the omega had.

Loki was strong, he was perseverant, he was confident, he had a nice job, his own place, he was self-sufficient, he had a degree in marketing and finance,  _ and _ had no children at the moment.

He found himself mulling over it all and trying to make sense of it when he noticed Loki’s family arriving, and pushed the boxes that he’d brought in out of the way, opening the door to greet them. “Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.”

Loki’s mother blinked in bewilderment, staring Thor up and down. “You must be the alpha.”

Thor’s smile faltered. “Uh… yes. I am Loki’s partner, Thor. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He held his hand out to Loki’s father, awkwardly pulling it back when the man refused to shake it. “Well, Loki is just finishing up breakfast. Please, come in.”

Stepping aside so that they could all enter, Thor took notice of one of Loki’s brother’s that shot him an apologetic look. Judging by his appearance he didn’t seem to be the oldest, so Thor assumed that this was Byleistr. “You must be Byleistr.”

Loki’s brother nodded, shaking Thor’s hand. “Loki hasn’t told us much about you, understandably. What is your name?”

“Thor,” he answered, beckoning for him to follow him to what was Loki’s living room.

Loki had a pensive look on his face when he heard his family come into the apartment, and internally prepared himself for being around all of them.

Just like he expected, his mother came into the kitchen, an unimpressed look on his face. “Oatmeal pancakes, Loki?”

Loki flipped over a pancake, fighting back a frown. “Yes, Mother.”

Tutting softly, his mother looked over the rest of the ingredients, not pleased. “Why isn’t breakfast finished? You’ve known we were coming over at 12 for the entire week.” Loki tried not to snatch himself away from his mother when the man took hold of his shirt. “And you look so  _ unkempt _ , Loki. I know I raised you to always care about your appearance. Your alpha must be so ashamed by your appearance today.”

Loki simmered at the insults, using a spatula to place the finished pancake on a plate with the others. “Thor and I stopped by my old apartment to pack up a few things. He doesn’t care about my appearance.”

Loki’s mother let out a disapproving sound, reaching out and taking Loki’s left hand in his next. “There’s no ring. Why aren’t you engaged?”

Growling low in his throat, Loki snatched his hand away, scooping up the other finished pancakes and placing them on a plate. “That is  _ none _ of your business.”

Loki’s mother scoffed, raising an arched eyebrow at him. “It’s none of my business? Please, tell me how the life of my youngest son is none of my business.”

Loki inhaled deeply and exhaled even slower, placing scrambled eggs into the skillet. “Please stop.”

“Stop what? Stop  _ caring _ ? I will do no such thing, Loki. You’re 25, and  _ still _ not married. I was married and pregnant with Byleistr by the time I was your age. You shame our proud family by continuing this “unabashed” lifestyle of a bachelor.”

Clenching his jaw in frustration, Loki tried to focus on cooking the eggs, adding salt and pepper to them when appropriate. “There is absolutely  _ nothing _ wrong with wanting to receive an education and gaining work experience before getting married and having a family.”

Laufey gasped, acting as if Loki said he wanted to run about the streets, killing people left and right. “ _ Nothing _ wrong? Loki, you are an  _ omega _ ! The Norns did not create you the way they did so that you could live your life inside some office! Do you really think an alpha wants someone that cares more about work than the home?”

Loki didn’t answer this, grabbing a bowl and scraping the eggs into that instead. 

“Why are you so  _ difficult _ , Loki? There’s always an issue with you! You’re so negative and-”

“Can we actually not do this, Mother? Please?” Interrupted Loki, finally losing his patience. 

Laufey gaped at Loki, filled to the brim with indignation. “Why, after everything I’ve done for you! I’m constantly bending over backward to help you, and  _ this _ is how you treat me?!”

Loki growled and snatched the turkey sausage from the counter, placing the links into a skillet and beginning to cook them. “I’m just asking you to not berate me for  _ once _ in my life. Just once.”

Scoffing at the accusation, Loki’s mother placed a hand on his chest, taken aback. “Loki all I do is  _ love  _ you! You’re so  _ rude  _ to me! You’ll never find anyone that will love you for that disgusting personality of yours!”

Loki didn’t say anything back and continued to cook the sausage, wishing that his family didn’t invite themselves over to help him move in. 

“See! This is what I’m talking about! You ignore your own mother when all I’m trying to do is help you, and you wonder why you’re dating an old man! Those are the only types of alphas that will want you if you keep living like this! Is that what you want in life?!”

“I’m not doing this with you, Mother,” Sighed Loki, scooping the finished sausage onto a plate. “Breakfast is ready, and I just want to eat so that I can move everything in.”

“You’re such a horrid person Loki,” spat his mother, grabbing the plate of pancakes to help Loki carry it into the dining room. “And you wonder why you have no friends and no one cares about you.”

Thor snapped his head up when he heard this, completely blown away that Loki’s mother could say something so harsh. “Well, that’s not true. Loki has plenty of friends and people that care about him.”

Loki’s oldest brother Helblindi scoffed, speaking up for the first time. “I don’t see anyone but you here.”

“Loki gets along  _ fine _ with many people and is loved and cherished by them. Speaking down to him and berating him about things that aren’t true helps no one.”

Loki set down the plate of sausage quite loudly, drawing attention to himself. “Can we all just eat breakfast?  _ Please _ ?”

Loki’s father looked at the omega in disappointment, moving to sit down at the table. “Must you be so  _ violent _ , Loki? You’ll scare away your alpha with tendencies like that.”

Thor noticed Loki visibly bristle at this and frowned, resting a comforting hand on his back. “I’m not going anywhere, anytime soon. I like Loki just the way he is.”

Helblindi sat down as well, annoyance clear on his face. “That won’t last long. Once you realize how crude and selfish he is, you’ll come to your senses. There’s a reason no one likes him.”

Thor was  _ floored _ by how Loki was being treated, and tightened his hold on Loki’s hip, holding him in place. “Are you joking? You can’t actually believe that Loki is selfish. He’s your brother!”

“And? Sin is sin, Thor. I’m not going to stand by and be proud of my brother for defying the will of the Norns.”

Loki’s family was crazy enough for Thor to think he was on a prank show.

There couldn’t  _ possibly _ be people this horrible in this world. 

“How is Loki sinning?”

Loki had had enough by this point, and pulled at Thor’s shirt, not wanting him to engage his family. “Thor, it’s alright. Let’s just eat.”

Thor narrowed his eyes at Loki’s brother but sat down anyway, not wanting to make Loki more upset than he already was. “Alright.”

The eyes of Loki’s oldest brother, his father, and his mother bulged out of their heads, and they stared at Thor in disbelief, which confused the alpha.

“You  _ actually _ speak to your alpha like that, Loki?” Gasped his mother, looking at his son in horror. “Norns have  _ mercy _ ! The alpha is the head of the household!  _ Not _ the omega! How many times must you be told this?”

Thor blinked rapidly in confusion, beginning to understand the type of people Loki’s family were. “That isn’t how our relationship works. Loki and I are a team, and we don’t do things that bother or upset the other if we can help it.”

Loki’s father Farbauti had a disgusted look on his face. “You’re one of those new-aged alphas, then?”

“If by new aged you mean I respect the individuality of my partner, then yes. I don’t own him.”

“And you’re actually okay with him speaking to you like that? Demanding that you do whatever he says?” pressed Farbauti, which made Thor feel very uncomfortable.

“Loki doesn’t demand I do things. He asks me. And I do them because I care about him. That’s a very natural thing.”

Farbauti shook his head in disbelief. “But it’s not how the Norns decreed things should be.”

Thor had a very unpleasant look on his face now. “That is your opinion.”

Saying this seem to have scandalized Loki’s entire family, as they all stared at him like he had just muttered a demonic summoning. 

“A-Are you an  _ atheist _ ?” Sputtered Loki’s mother, his face pale.

“No. But that doesn’t mean that I am wrong for believing what I do. Everyone interprets the sacred texts differently, and it is wrong to shame someone when they don’t adhere to the rules that you believe they should follow, based on  _ your _ interpretation.”

Loki had gone numb by this point and listened to his family and Thor argue back and forth about religion and the validity of the sacred texts, wishing that this was all over.

No one else was eating, so he fixed his plate and blessed his food before eating himself, his heart dropping when his father stopped mid-sentence and gaped at him. “Loki! You didn’t even fix your alpha’s plate?!”

“He isn’t required to serve me hand and foot,” Rushed Thor, horrified by how conservative and strict Loki’s family was. “As I said we are a team that work together. If he’s hungry then there is nothing wrong with him eating.”

“I raised you better than that, boy,” Growled Loki’s father, which caused Loki to wince. “Fix his plate.  _ Now _ .”

Thor scoffed and turned to Loki, stopping him. “Absolutely not! Loki, don’t fix my plate.”

Loki remained frozen, not wanting to go against his father, but also not wanting to upset Thor.

“Fix your alpha’s plate, Loki!” hissed his mother, a fearsome glare on his face.

Thor shook his head again, beginning to rub at Loki’s back when he saw Loki shut down. “It’s alright, love. Please don’t do anything that you feel uncomfortable doing.”

Loki couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t  _ breathe _ , and he remained silent, staring down at the wooden table as Thor argued back and forth with his family.

“Why the hell are you crying?!” 

Farbauti’s rough voice brought Loki back to the moment at hand, and he flinched when Thor reached out to wipe at his tears, still unable to articulate himself.

Loki’s father snapping at him made Thor see red, and he growled low in his throat refusing to let Loki’s family speak to him like this. “Alright, that’s enough! Anyone would cry if they were being spoken about so poorly!”

“Great, now you’ve ruined breakfast, Loki! You upset everyone! Are you happy now? You got exactly what you wanted!” Spat Loki’s mother, glaring at him.

Loki let out a broken sound then and it was hearing this that made Thor react.

Glaring at Loki’s mother, Thor squared his jaw, trying his best to still be respectful and calm. “Loki and I can move him into his apartment just fine. I think it would be best if you all left.”

Loki’s father drew back like he’d been stricken. “ _ Excuse _ me?”

Thor narrowed his eyes at the man. “You’re upsetting Loki, and you’re upsetting me. I never want to see Loki crying like this again. Please leave, all of you.”

Loki’s mother stood up quickly from the table, offended deeply. “Who do you think you are, to disrespect us, and ask for such a thing?!”

Thor didn’t want to raise his voice -Loki was shutting down quickly, and Thor knew that him raising his voice and yelling would only make everything worse- so he sighed, sending Loki’s mother a level look. “I won’t ask you all again. Please leave.”

“You’re going to let your alpha talk to us like this, Loki?” Hissed his brother Helblindi. “You’re not even married to him, and you shame yourself and our family by acting like this! You-”

“ _ Go!” _ screamed Loki, beginning to break down. “Just  _ go _ ! Go away!”

Loki’s family began to act as if Loki cursed them out and flipped the table, standing up in a rush.

“You horrid,  _ despicable _ child!” growled Loki’s mother, marching past him. “Don’t think we’ll forgive you for this!”

Loki didn’t even care at this point and continued to sob, wincing when his father slammed the door to his apartment shut.

Once Loki’s family was gone Thor scooted closer and wrapped a strong arm around Loki, wanting to try and get him to calm down. “Loki, love, it’s alright. They’re gone. Just breathe. It’s okay.”

Loki kept sobbing, trying to take in another breath and finding that it wouldn’t come.

Thor panicked when Loki began to hyperventilate, and pulled the omega into his arms, holding him close, and trying to calm him further. “Breathe, Loki. Just breathe. They’re gone. They can’t hurt you. Just breathe with me, love. Just breathe.”

Loki let out a pitiful sound, trying and failing to calm down.

Thor refused to give up though and rubbed at Loki’s side, continuing to speak calmly to him and begging him to breathe slowly. Thor’s calming voice and the warmth of his touch brought Loki back, and he soon found that he could breathe, able to take in that sickeningly sweet breath.

“Good, good, love,” Urged Thor, continuing to encourage him. “Just like that. Let’s breathe again.”

Loki took in another shaking breath, exhaling slowly and feeling a bit more clarity.

Thor led him through some breathing exercises, and calmly encouraged him through them, kissing at his scent glands and covering him in his scent to calm him further.

Once Loki had stopped sobbing Thor relaxed, thankful that he was able to get Loki calm. “Tell me what I can do, Loki.”

Loki sniffed and wiped at his eyes, shaking his head slowly. “M’ sorry!”

Thor found himself bemused by the statement. “What?” 

“I’m sorry!” Wept Loki, beginning to break down again.

“Loki, Loki no, no love, please don’t apologize,” Rushed Thor, not wanting Loki to begin to berate himself.

His family had already done enough of that.

“I don’t want you to hate me!” Confessed Loki, unable to even look at Thor. “I’m so sorry!”

“Loki, please,  _ please _ don’t apologize. You did nothing wrong. This doesn’t change anything between us. I’m not leaving you because your family is crazy.”

Loki shook his head again, refusing to believe this. “I-I didn’t want this! I didn’t want you to see this or deal with this or-”

“But I did,” Murmured Thor, kissing Loki’s knuckles. “And it doesn’t change anything. You can’t control your family, and they can’t control you.”

Loki stared at Thor in disbelief, his eyes welling with even more tears. “But this is so _pathetic!_ _I’m_ so path-”

“Don’t,” Growled Thor, not wanting Loki to even finish that statement. “That is the furthest thing from the truth.”

Loki sniffed, trying to take in another steadying breath. “I just hate this so  _ much _ !”

Thor shook his head, rubbing a soothing hand along Loki’s spine. “Don’t ever say something like that again about yourself, Loki. None of this is your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong today.”

Loki sniffed again, wiping at his eyes with a shaking hand. “I’m so sorry, Thor.”

Thor kissed at his scent glands, hoping to calm him further. “Please don’t apologize, love.”

“I-I didn’t want today to go like this!”

“And it wasn’t your fault that things happened the way they did.”

Loki shook his head, beginning to berate himself once again. “I should’ve woken up earlier, and-”

“No, no Loki,” shushed Thor, holding him closer. “Your family was wrong. Families are supposed to support and uplift each other. They don’t use harsh words to tear each other down, and they don’t use tactics like gaslighting or manipulation. Please don’t let them make you think that the events of today were your fault.”

The omega made a pitiful sound, clutching onto Thor weakly. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

“What can I do to help you at this moment?” Murmured Thor, kissing at Loki’s scent glands again.

“...Just hold me.”

And Thor did just that, hugging and comforting Loki for as long as the omega needed it.

He kept murmuring gentle words of reassurance to the omega every time his breath hitched, feeling terrible that Loki’s family were so rude and cruel to him.

It horrified him to think that Loki grew up like this, and he wondered if the omega had grown up with anyone to defend him like Thor defended him today.

Had Loki been dealing with all of this alone?

Norns…

Once Loki had calmed down a bit he wiped at his eyes again, taking in a shuddering breath. “I want to get everything moved in. I just want to rest.”

Thor nodded and helped Loki from his lap, reaching out to place both of his hands on Loki’s slim waist, and marveling at how slender Loki was for just a moment. “Hey.”

Loki stilled, looking up at Thor with even more unshed tears in his eyes.

The alpha stared at him with the same gentle compassion that was in his eyes during his heat, and Loki searched through his gaze, relaxing when Thor leaned forward to kiss him.

“Don’t think about your family right now. This is an exciting day. You’re moving into a new place, and starting a fresh chapter in your life.” He kissed Loki again. “Once we’re finished moving you in, I’ll draw a nice bath for us, and after that, we’ll watch a silly rom-com. Sound like a plan?”

Loki smiled softly, touched by the sweetness of it all. “Thank you…”

The pair met for another kiss before Thor hummed against his lips, a gentle thumb coming to rub at the crest of his hip. “Thank you for making breakfast.”

Loki blushed, his smile only growing. “Of course…”

Placing a final kiss against Loki’s lips, the alpha let him go, heading out of the apartment and downstairs to Loki’s moving truck.

He was shocked to see that Loki’s family was  _ still _ there, and frowned, his face darkening. “All of you are still here?”

Loki’s father scowled, whirling around at the sound of Thor’s voice. “Loki will be down any minute to apologize. You won’t be here long.”

Thor tutted, opening up Loki’s moving truck, and grabbing a box. “You’ll be out here waiting for eternity then because that’s not going to happen.”

Loki’s mother scoffed, a sour look on his face. “I don’t know how Loki found such a foul man like you. We raised him to always aim high.”

“Well I’m sure dating a billionaire CEO is the highest one can get,” quipped Thor, heading down the ramp of the moving truck and back into the building. 

He didn’t miss how the eyes of Loki’s family bulged out of their heads, and smirked, wondering if their tune would change.

Even if it did, he would always encourage Loki to treat himself with dignity and respect. He knew that they hadn’t been dating long enough for Thor to have much of a say in what he did or didn’t do regarding his toxic family, but Thor believed that as long as he encouraged Loki to always value himself in a higher light than his family saw him, it would help Loki with determining the best way for him to deal with them.

It took about 20 minutes for Thor to bring in all of the boxes for Loki, and he was relieved that the omega decided to stay inside and unbox everything instead of leaving the apartment.

It would be horrible if he found out that his family was still down there.

Thor was able to finish moving in everything by himself, and once he closed up the moving truck for the final time, one of Loki’s brothers asked him a question.

“Why are you dating him?”

“Because he is a wonderful man, and I want to give him the world,” Answered Thor, not stopping to converse further with the family.

It took about 3 hours to get Loki’s apartment situated the way the omega wanted it to look once Thor brought in the last piece of furniture, and it wasn’t until 5 that they collapsed on his couches, exhausted but relieved that they finished.

Loki’s phone had been vibrating the entire time he and Thor organized his apartment, but he ignored it, not wanting to think about or speak to his family right now.

He would deal with them later.

“Let’s jump in the shower before our bath, Loki.”

Loki groaned and sat up, sore from the day. “Norns, I just want to relax in bed.”

There was a TV in Loki’s bedroom, so Thor sat up as well, following the omega to his bathroom. “Maybe after bathing, we’ll relax here and watch something?”

“I don’t mind,” Answered Loki, turning on the shower and stripping off his sweat covered clothes. 

Thor went ahead and started a bath, sprinkling in Loki’s favorite bath salts, and adding in a bath bomb.

He hadn’t known what they were before he started dating Loki, and was amused that Loki was so fond of them.

After getting the bath ready Thor stripped down as well, making his way into the shower and accepting the washcloth that Loki handed to him.

They washed quickly and made their way into the bath, moaning softly as the water eased their aching muscles. “Norns, this feels amazing.”

Loki relaxed further against Thor’s broad chest and closed his eyes, fingers coming to rest against Thor’s thighs. “...Thank you for today, Thor.”

Thor wrapped his arms around Loki and kissed at the scent glands on his neck, not wanting him to worry. “I would do it again and again. You’re a good person, Loki.”

Loki felt himself tear up at the compliment, trying to force out the horrible thoughts telling him that Thor was lying.

Thor kissed at Loki’s scent glands once again, hoping to calm him. “I’ll tell you this every day if I must. You’re not alone anymore, Loki.”

Loki broke down when Thor told him this, biting at a lower lip and wiping at his tears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cry again-”

“Nonsense, love,” Murmured Thor, continuing to hold Loki close. “You’re crying because you’re tired and hurting. And… and if what I saw today was any indication of your life regarding your family, you’ve been hurting for a long time.”

Loki couldn’t help but nod. “They’re always like that. I’m never good enough, I always say the wrong thing, I’m rude when I stand up for myself, I’m selfish when I tell them no… I thought getting older would allow me to break free from them, and now that I’m on my own, there's really no reason for me to continue entertaining them, but… I just get so scared when I imagine being on my own. My life with my family in it is miserable, but I’m too scared to see what it’s like without them. At least with them in it, I’m not alone.”

“But you’re suffering,” Sighed Thor. “And that’s just as bad, love.”

Loki sniffed, wiping at his eyes with a trembling hand. “I-I know. But my whole life my family has told me that I’ll never find someone that loves or accepts me, because of the person I am. Any friends that I’ve had, I’ve pushed them away because of my insecurities caused by my family. Any relationship that I’ve been in has ended because I’ve scared them away with my fears. I hate my family so much but they’re so  _ right _ about me! I-I-”

Thor shushed him gently when he began to get worked up. “They are  _ not _ right about you, Loki. They’re not right at all.”

“You don’t know that! You haven’t known me long enough to see who I am, to see-”

“I’ve known you long enough to know that under that brazen personality, you’re a caring person. I’m not saying you’re like a Disney princess or anything, but… you’ve got a good heart, nevertheless. You’re a good person, Loki. I wouldn’t be with you if you weren’t.”

Loki sniffed again, not knowing what to say.

“Loki, it’s still really early in this relationship. We’re discovering things about each other and learning as we go. I can’t promise to be perfect, but… I ask that you always believe what I say when I compliment you. You know me well enough to know that they’re not baseless words; I wouldn’t say them if I didn’t believe them.”

Loki smiled softly, knowing that Thor spoke the truth. “You are right about that…”

“You’re a good person, Loki. Give yourself permission to be whoever you want to be, outside of your family’s influence. Even if you only see them on holidays, don’t let them think that they have such a large stake in your life. If people can’t love or respect you, then they don’t deserve to hold your heart.”

Hearing this resonated with Loki, and he nodded, relaxing once again against Thor’s broad chest. “...Thank you, Thor.”

Thor kissed at his jugular. “Of course.”

The pair relaxed further in the bath until the warmth of the water went away, and climbed out, drying off and getting dressed.

Once they were in bed Loki attached himself to Thor’s side, burrowing his face into the scent glands on the alpha’s neck and inhaling his scent deeply.

Thor’s scent seemed to be one of the few things that could clear his head and calm him down completely, and he relaxed in the alpha’s embrace, smiling when Thor wrapped his arms around him.

“Feeling better?”

Loki nodded, nestling further into the crevice of Thor’s neck.

He wanted to fall asleep just like this and laughed softly when Thor commented on it. “If you want to rest for a bit Loki, that’s alright.”

Nodding and nestling even further into Thor’s warm hold, Loki closed his eyes, the gentle rise and fall of Thor’s chest lulling him to a calming sleep.

Loki sleeping in his arms was something that had become one of his most treasured moments, and he held the omega close, not surprised when he drifted off to sleep too.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor woke up when he felt Loki beginning to stir beside him, and smiled softly at the man when Loki sat up, meeting him for a kiss. “Hey. Have a good nap?”

Loki nodded, kissing Thor again. “I needed that.”

Thor rubbing at the crest of his hip always calmed him, and he settled back down into the bed, scooting closer when Thor wrapped an arm around him. “What are we going to do about dinner?”

“We can order something. I don’t really feel like getting dressed to go somewhere.”

“What do you have a taste for?”

Thor sighed, knowing that he didn’t want anything too heavy. “Chinese?”

Loki nodded, not getting up to move.

Thor didn’t move to get up either and laughed when he and Loki continued to remain in bed, neither of them wanting to get out of bed to fetch their phones. “One of us is going to have to move, Loki.”

“I’m sure you know by now that I’m not getting up,” Murmured Loki.

Thor snorted and stretched, reaching for Loki’s phone on the nightstand.

He couldn’t help but notice all of the missed calls and texts from the omega’s family, and swiped the notifications away, pulling up the number of a nearby delivery restaurant, and placing their orders.

Loki smirked when Thor finished and rubbed at his side, allowing Thor to pull him closer. “Thank you.”

The pair sat in comfortable silence before Loki sighed, knowing that he should address the issue of his family. “I’m sorry that you’re seeing these sides of me so early in the relationship.”

“Loki, after remembering the things we said to each other during your heat, there is  _ nothing _ that will push me away from you.”

Loki couldn’t help but laugh, an embarrassed smile spreading across his face. “Norns, I still can’t believe that we said those things.”

Thor blushed too, still mortified. “Nothing will ever top that, so… it’s alright. I can handle anything that gets thrown at me. I want to be with you, and… and I’m happy to be with you. My family and friends already love you, and that’s even more of an incentive to stay.”

This put a smile on Loki’s face. “I suppose I feel the same. Nothing will ever be as embarrassing as what was said during my heat, and if we can make it through that, then we can make it through anything.”

Thor kissed at Loki’s temple. “You’re absolutely right.”

Being here like this, so comfortable in each other’s arms even though they’d only been dating for just under a month, meant everything.

Neither of them wanted to rush anything, but they both appreciated how close they already were.

Once their food arrived Loki put on one of his favorite rom coms, and spent the rest of the night relaxing in his bed with Thor.

He had a lot of unresolved fears and insecurities in his heart because of his family, and although he knew it would take some time to overcome them, he believed that it was something he needed to finally do.

He really liked Thor and didn’t want to push him away like he did all the others.

No, he wanted to keep Thor in his life as long as possible.

Even if it couldn’t be forever.

  
  
✬⭒✭⭒✮  
  
  



	7. I Love You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a lovey dovey chapter to make up for the harshness of last chapter :3

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Waking up in Thor’s arms was something that Loki would never get tired of.

Although the alpha didn’t have the most well-rounded diet, he still worked hard to keep up his chiseled physique, and this was something that Loki could  _ definitely _ appreciate. 

He personally usually ran or did yoga in the morning to work out during the week, and wondered if he and Thor working out at the gym today would be a good way to spend more time together. Now that it was Sunday, Thor would most likely head back to his penthouse, and then they wouldn’t see each other until Wednesday, which was when they agreed they would go out for dinner each week.

Thor began to wake up not too long after him, so Loki sat up a bit, smiling when Thor’s eyes opened and met his. “Good morning.”

Thor returned the omega’s grin, always happy when Loki was the first thing he saw in the morning. “Good morning.” The pair met in the middle for a kiss before Thor sat up and yawned, knowing that he would probably head back to his place in a few hours. “What would you like to do today?”

“Maybe we could go to the gym?”

This sounded like a good idea to Thor. “Maybe after that, we can go grab lunch, and walk by the river?”

Loki hummed softly, happy that they would be able to spend more time together, today. “That sounds wonderful.” They shared another kiss and climbed out of bed, changing into workout gear before heading to Thor’s gym.

Loki didn’t mind doing a more strength-building workout, as he enjoyed just being with Thor. He did wish that they could spend a  _ bit _ more time together during the work week, but knew that he would have to get used to their current schedule. He figured he was wanting to see the alpha so much because he was so used to seeing Thor all day every day when he was his assistant.

After finishing their work out and showering, Loki and Thor made their way over to a nearby restaurant and grabbed lunch, enjoying the day.

Of course, neither of them wanted to say goodbye, but Thor did need to return home to get ready for the workday. The pair parted with a kiss, and let each other know that they would see each other again on Wednesday.

Oh, if only that day would hurry up and come.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor met his new assistant Monday morning with a deep set frown on his face. He was in a foul mood, and already missing Loki. He just hoped this new assistant would be as proficient as Loki was. Walking over to her desk, Thor introduced himself, greeting the young woman. “Good morning. You must be Sif?”

The young woman nodded quickly, an eager smile on her face. “Yes sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Thor shook her hand politely, telling himself that he couldn’t scare her away on her first day. “Likewise.”

Sif pulled out her tablet next, beginning to scroll through it so that she could update Thor about his day. “I believe you have a meeting in an hour on the 16th floor with the marketing department.”

Thor perked up when he heard her say this, as the 16th floor was Loki’s department and floor. “Alright. Come and get me 10 minutes before the meeting starts.”

“I will, sir,” Chirped Sif, smiling before sitting back down. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“If you could get me some coffee from downstairs in the cafe, I would appreciate it. Add just a hint of sugar to it, no cream.”

Sif nodded, off to get Thor’s coffee, so the alpha sighed, making his way into his office with thoughts of Loki drifting through his mind. He would’ve already had his coffee ready for him, as well as an itinerary for what his day would look like. He got right to work after brushing that thought off - he had to get used to Loki not being his assistant sooner rather than later - and didn’t look up again until Sif returned with his coffee.

The woman handed it to him, a hopeful smile on her face. “I added a hint of sugar, just like you asked.”

Thor sipped at his coffee, annoyed that it wasn’t perfect like Loki’s. “This tastes terrible. Go back downstairs and get a new one with less sugar.”

The omega blinked in confusion, not expecting Thor’s curt tone. “O-Of course, sir. Right away.”

His coffee being terrible put him in an even worse mood, and when his assistant returned with a new cup of coffee, he sent her out of his office, telling her to not bother him again unless necessary. He knew he was being rude, but… this was nothing new. If she couldn’t handle it, then he would be back to getting new assistants every few months.

Knocking at his door brought him from his mind, and he sighed, calling out for whoever it was to enter.

Sif entered not even a second later, her tablet in her hands. “Mr. Odinson, your morning meeting begins in 10 minutes.”

Thor stood up and grabbed his laptop, making his way out of his office. “Come on, then.”

The pair made their way down to the 16th floor and to a meeting room, sitting down at the large rectangular table. 

The alpha was happy to see that Loki was here, and shared a small, discreet smile with him when no one was watching.

“Did you have a good weekend?”

Thor looked over at his new assistant, his brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“I-I asked if you had a good weekend.”

One thing Thor hated more than anything was pointless conversation, and he frowned, putting an end to this conversation. “It was fine.”

Loki couldn’t help but laugh to himself when he heard Thor’s response, as he remembered when he made the same mistake all those months ago. Thor’s new assistant seemed to be a pretty young woman, and he found himself wondering how long she would last. He knew Thor wasn’t the  _ nicest _ person at times.

Sigyn entered the room then and closed the door to signal the beginning of the meeting, so Loki turned to pay attention to her, knowing that he couldn’t stare at Thor and daydream throughout the entire meeting. He was content just by seeing him today, and after the meeting ended this put a smile on his face as he worked.

Angrboda seemed to notice his happy mood and commented on it, a slight blush to his cheeks. “You seem happy.”

Loki looked over at the beta for a moment. “Do I?”

Angrboda began to babble, quickly turning back to his computer. “Y-You just look really nice when you’re smiling.”

Loki laughed softly, amused by the beta’s shyness. “Thank you.”

Angrboda beamed when Loki thanked him, and Loki found the man’s shyness quite endearing.

Svadilfari aside, Loki’s fellow coworkers seemed to be pleasant people, and his boss didn’t seem to be too bad either.

He knew it was too early to make judgments about his new department, but he really enjoyed it so far, and only hoped that this feeling would last.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor was surprised that Sif lasted this long as his assistant.

It had been three months since she started, and he’d been absolutely  _ horrid _ the whole time.

He criticized everything she did, as it wasn’t  _ perfect _ . She didn’t seem to pay the same amount of attention to detail as Loki did when he’d been his assistant, and that pissed Thor off. The  _ least _ she could do was meet the standard that was required of her, and it seemed that she barely met it at times. If she still proved useless after a month, he would search for a new assistant.

It was a Friday today, so the only highlight to his day was being able to spend the weekend with Loki. They’d been together for about 4 months now, and Thor could honestly say that he was really happy. They’d had some issues with Loki’s family since Loki moved into his new place, and of course no relationship was without arguments, but they’d pulled through, and found that the longer they stayed together, the happier they became.

Tonight he’d be taking Loki out on a short Valentine’s day trip to a nearby town where one of the omega’s favorite movies were shot, and he couldn’t wait to see the look on Loki’s face when they arrived. He still had a smile on his face when Sif knocked at his door, and he called out for her to enter, staring at his desk and realizing that there were no pictures of Loki there. He knew it would be too risky though, as the pair would get in a lot of trouble if it was discovered that they were dating.

“Here’s your coffee, sir.”

Thor hummed, taking the offered cup and sipping at the hot liquid. “Hm, it tastes pretty good today. Thank you.”

Sif beamed at the praise. “Of course, sir!”

She moved to pull out her tablet, scrolling through Thor’s itinerary for the day. “At 9 am there’s a board meeting, at 11:30 Jonah would like the report you promised him, at 12 there’s a luncheon where you’re a key speaker for the non-executive employees and at 3-”

“I’m leaving early today. You’ll have to reschedule anything past 3.”

Sif blinked a few times in confusion. “O-Of course, sir. May I ask why?”

“Personal reasons. It doesn’t concern you.”

Sif nodded, looking back down at her tablet. “My apologies, sir. I’ll reach out to Andrea and let her know that we need to reschedule your 3:30 meeting.”

“Perfect. You can go.”

Sif nodded and exited his office, so Thor sighed, pulling up a document to brief himself on before that morning’s meeting.

His day went by quite slowly, and by 12 he was ready for it to be over.

Luckily the luncheon helped speed time up, and 3 was here quicker than he anticipated. 

He’d already told Loki to leave 30 minutes ahead of him to avoid suspicion, and left the building at 3:05, heading towards his penthouse. Loki had a key - he was over so often that Thor believed it just made sense to give him one - so Thor had no doubt that Loki was already there waiting for him, bags packed for their weekend getaway.

Opening the door to his penthouse, Thor was surprised that Loki wasn’t there, and frowned, calling out for him. “Loki?” He didn’t hear anything and made his way into his living room, laughing softly when he noticed the omega napping on the couch.

He always loved to watch Loki sleep - as creepy as it sounded, Loki looked so peaceful while he rested, and it often tugged at Thor’s heartstrings to see the sleeping omega’s face - and made his way over to him, sitting down next to the omega and running his fingers gently through his hair.

Loki stirred at his touch and cracked open an eye, smiling when he saw that it was Thor. “Hey.”

Thor caressed his cheek, smiling as well. “Hey. Are you ready to go?”

Loki nodded, stretching out on the couch. “Norns, that was a wonderful nap.”

Thor snorted softly, bending over to press a warm kiss against Loki’s forehead. “Well, you can nap in the car. Our destination is only 2 hours away.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to “you’ll find out in two hours” city.” 

Loki snorted and sat up, playfully shoving at Thor. “You really won’t tell me where we’re going?”

“Nope. I want it to be a surprise,” Answered Thor, pecking at Loki’s lips playfully. “Is your stuff ready?”

“Yeah,” Yawned Loki, gesturing to his bags. “You’re  _ certain _ that you can’t tell me where we’re going?”

Thor stood, taking Loki’s bags in his hands. “I am 100%, unequivocally  _ certain _ that I can’t tell you where we’re going. I want it to be a surprise.”

Loki couldn’t help but pout -him doing this was one of Thor’s secret things he found endearing about the omega- and followed Thor downstairs and out to the alpha’s car, getting into it. “Well  _ wherever _ we’re going, I hope that it’s nice and not filled with people. I just want to be alone with you after the week I’ve had.”

Thor finished putting Loki’s bags into the trunk and closed it, getting into his car. “It’ll just be you and I. And all of my family.”

Thor couldn’t help but laugh when Loki gasped, and leaned forward, kissing the omega’s cheek affectionately. “I’m joking, Loki. It’ll just be you and I. I promise.”

Loki relaxed then, relieved that he wouldn’t have to be on his best behavior. He really enjoyed Thor’s family, but he wanted some alone time with Thor. He wasn’t really content on just seeing him on the weekends anymore and admittedly wanted to see him more during the week; even if it was only for a moment.

It was too early to even  _ speak _ of moving in together -Loki had only been in his new apartment for 3 months, and still had 3 months left on the lease- and they’d only officially been together for 4 months, so their relationship wasn’t  _ new _ , but he still considered it fresh.

Thor hadn’t even told him that he loved him yet, and although Loki understood why Thor had commitment issues, he didn’t want to be the first one to say it. He feared that if he said it first, it would push Thor away, so Loki often tried his best to not bring up seeing each other more, or things like  _ “I love you”. _ It wasn’t  _ ideal _ , but it was reality, and he knew what he was getting into when he’d agreed to date Thor.

“Are you alright?”

Thor’s voice snapped Loki from these thoughts, and he nodded, quickly kissing Thor so that he wouldn’t worry. “I’m fine.”

Thor pinched at his cheek, causing Loki to blush and swat his hand away. “We’re only two hours away, Loki. Not very far at all.”

Settling into his seat as Thor pulled out of the parking garage, Loki couldn’t help but drum his fingers on his thighs, thoughts of his family now flitting through his mind. Loki often thought of his family and their dynamic in the still moments of his life, and he wished that he found a way to stop the terrible thoughts that plagued his mind.

Every time he was alone, every time he had a moment to himself, every time his mind wandered, thoughts of his parents, of his brothers, of his family, tormented him. Memories of his upbringing, the pain of his adolescence, the pang of hurt at realizing that he would never be good enough for them, and the scary thought that… maybe he didn’t want to.

It’d been his dream to finally break free of his family when he went to college - he’d gone to a university 2,000 miles away, just like his brothers did - and innocently thought that this would save him from his family.

And it hadn’t.

3 years after graduating, his family was still very present in his life and texted him or called constantly.

Missing the monthly family dinners was  _ unthinkable _ , and although Loki lived his own life and supported himself, he still found himself unable to break away from the shackles that his family forced on him.

Thor standing up for him gave Loki the strength to stand up for himself, and although he didn’t regret it, he was still terrified that his decision would ruin everything in his life. His family had such a hold over him, and he admittedly didn’t know what to make of it, or how to break free. He hated those parts of himself.

“Loki?”

The omega hummed softly, looking over at Thor. “Hm?”

“You look sad. What’s wrong?”

Loki quickly shook his head, not wanting Thor to be worried about him. “Nothing. Just… lost in thought.”

“... Would you feel comfortable sharing those thoughts with me?”

Loki knew that he clammed up whenever Thor asked him about what ran through his mind, and he knew that if he kept doing this, it would inadvertently push Thor away. 

As hard as it is to do so, he needed to let Thor in. 

Even if it was just a little.

It would be wrong of him to expect Thor to do the same for him if he couldn’t do it for Thor.

“I… I was thinking of my family.”

Thor found himself nodding slowly, knowing that he needed to tread on this topic carefully. “Have they reached out to you after the day you moved into your new place?”

“Not really. They usually ignore me when I upset them, and… and I usually crawl back to them begging for forgiveness, when in actuality the issue was never caused because of something I did or didn’t do. This is the longest I’ve gone without crawling back to them, so…” Loki looked down and sighed then, still feeling nervous. “I don’t know what to do.”

“What  _ would  _ you like to do?”

Loki couldn’t suppress the bitter laugh that left his throat. “In a perfect world, I would have absolutely nothing to do with my family. I would be free from their ridicule… their snarky remarks… the feelings of never being good enough. I wouldn’t be scared to be alone, and… and I would be strong enough to just cut off all contact without feeling guilty for doing so.”

Loki’s answer surprised Thor.

The alpha was always so used to Loki’s strong and defiant character, so seeing and hearing that he was struggling to be strong and confident hurt Thor’s heart. “What do you feel is stopping you from living that perfect life?”

“Myself, I think,” Admitted Loki, shocked that he was being so candid with Thor. He knew though that he wanted him and Thor to reveal these parts of themselves to each other, as they couldn’t say things like  _ “I love you” _ or even think of marriage if they didn’t know their innermost secrets, and the truth of who they were at their cores.

“Well… is there anything that I can do to help you stop standing in the way of what you feel would be your perfect life?”

This was a very personal question, and Loki took it as Thor inadvertently saying he wanted to be there for him and help him through his issues. That meant that Thor wasn’t thinking of leaving him anytime soon. This thought comforted Loki, and he smiled softly, finally looking over at the alpha. “Just… talk to me? Like this? It’s a bit hard to be this honest but… I like what we have. And I don’t want to ruin it. I want you to know these parts of me that I’m ashamed of, and I want to know those parts of you as well.” 

He averted his gaze then, extremely nervous now that he just confessed his desire for their relationship to get more serious.

Thor took notice of this, and thought to himself for some time, wanting to give Loki an honest answer. He admittedly hadn’t had a relationship like the one he shared with Loki since he’d proposed to Jane back in college. He’d loved her with everything in him; loved her with his entire being, and… and it had all been for nothing.

She’d broken him.

And even though that happened 15 years ago, Thor was still terrified to open himself up, and risk being hurt once again. One thing stuck out in his mind though, and it was this thought that Thor knew was true:

He really liked Loki.

He  _ loved _ him actually but knowing that he loved the omega even though they’d only been together for 4 months was very alarming to him. He’d  _ never _ fallen so hard so fast for someone, and although he was certain that he loved Loki, he wasn’t sure how to go about moving their relationship to something more serious like Loki hinted at wanting.

Every time an omega had become intent on progressing their relationship to something more serious, Thor had broken things off, not interested in becoming that close to someone once again.

But Loki… Loki was  _ different _ . 

Loki made him feel so much joy, so much  _ love _ , the omega helped him feel like he was  _ alive _ in the best ways, and he didn’t want to ruin what they had.

At all.

No, he wanted to foster this love, to help it grow, to nurture it until it became something even more beautiful than it was now. And that could only happen if he opened himself up a bit, just like Loki was doing. Thor just wished it wasn’t so  _ hard _ .

“When I was your age, I proposed to the woman I believed was the love of my life. And she rejected my proposal and confessed that she had been sleeping with one of my close friends. And that broke me. Deeply.”

He looked over at Loki then, touched to see the genuine love and concern in the omega’s gaze. “I don’t think I ever got over that, Loki. And I’m sorry, because it’s not fair to you. You entered this relationship with me, and… I don’t know if I’m able to give you everything you want. The thought of growing even closer to you terrifies me, because I haven’t felt the desire to do that with someone since her.”

He sighed then, eyes back on the road. “But… I  _ want  _ to grow closer to you. I actually do want to connect, I want us to learn more about each other… I just can’t quiet the pang in my heart that tells me I’m too hurt to love again.”

Confessing this was hard, and he looked down when he saw Loki take his hand, quickly turning to look at Loki once again.

Loki knew that confessing this had been hard for Thor, and he took this as a sign that Thor really liked him, and wanted this to work out in the long run.

Even if he couldn’t see it himself. 

Rubbing at the back of Thor’s hand with a thumb, Loki met Thor’s gaze for a moment. “Thank you for sharing that with me. And I’m sorry that this happened to you. I’m not asking you to share parts of you that you aren’t ready to share, and… and I know that this isn’t what you’re wanting from me, either. But I think if we both agreed to try and reveal pieces and parts of ourselves, little by little, then… we could work on supporting each other, and being there when a shoulder is needed.”

He squeezed Thor’s hand reassuringly, then. “And I need you to know that I will never pressure you to marry me. I enjoy  _ you _ , for however long I have you. I want you to be able to enjoy this relationship and grow as a person as well. Regardless of whatever happens in the future, I want us to enjoy this. And we can.”

Thor squeezed Loki’s hand back, a soft smile on his face. “Thank you, Loki.”

Loki nodded, bringing Thor’s hand to his lips. “We’ll figure things out Thor, and we’ll enjoy wherever this takes us. No pressure. Just enjoying these moments, and growing as people.”

Moments like this made Thor feel happier than he’d felt in a long time, and he brought Loki’s hand to his lips next, kissing at his knuckles. “Of course. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Loki noticed that they had been on the road for about an hour now, and looked around, not really recognizing anything. “Now that we’re out of the city, can you tell me where we’re going?”

Thor couldn’t help but smile, squeezing Loki’s hand affectionately. “We’re going to the town that “I’ve Loved You Since Then” was filmed. We’re staying at the same bed and breakfast the main characters stayed in, and I have planned for the rest of today and tomorrow to be spent visiting the various spots that they visited in the movie. At the end of it all, there will be a couple’s massage and spa package, and then Sunday afternoon we’ll head back.”

Loki’s jaw dropped, and he couldn’t help but laugh, his eyes immediately crinkling with joy. “You’re joking?!”

“Nope. I even arranged for us to meet the author of the book that the movie was based on, for lunch tomorrow. Lorelin Dailey is more than willing to answer all of your questions about her book and the movie it was based on, tomorrow.”

Loki didn’t  _ want _ to call the sound that he made a squeal, but a high pitched noise definitely left him, and he released Thor’s hand, beginning to clap with excitement. “Norns! Thank you! Thank you, Thor!”

Loki’s happiness always tugged at Thor’s heartstrings, and the alpha laughed as well, happy that Loki was happy. “We’re about 45 minutes away, so once we arrive at the bed and breakfast we can explore the town to your heart’s content.”

This literally made Loki’s entire week, and he continued to smile, pulling out his phone. “Norns, I need to make a list of all the places we need to visit. Oh, let’s go to the fountain first! In the town’s square!”

“Of course. Wherever you want to go, Loki.”

Hearing Loki prattle on and on about the various places they needed to visit kept a smile on his face, and they spent the rest of the ride there discussing the order in which they would do everything.

Thor knew from experience that Loki loved to organize everything about his life to the smallest detail, and didn’t mind that the omega was planning the rest of their trip with such intensity.

They arrived at the bed and breakfast around 6pm, and Thor was relieved that they got there as the sun was just beginning to set. If they hurried, they could still get to the hill behind the bed and breakfast and watch the sunset over the town.

Loki seemed to be thinking of this as well, as the omega was rushing to get to their room to set their things down. “ _ Hurry _ ! I don’t want to miss the sunset!”

Snorting softly, Thor followed Loki inside and carried their bags upstairs to their room. “You don’t want to look around the bed and breakfast first?”

Loki tsked, looking out of a window to see where the sun was. “I want to make it to the top of the hill before the sun sets.” He stopped in front of their door and unlocked it once they made it upstairs, shocked that they were staying in the very room that the actors in the movie stayed in. “Norns! We’re staying in their room!”

Smiling broadly, Thor set their bags down near the dresser in the room and winked at Loki. “Surprise!”

Loki reached out and pulled Thor in for a deep, appreciative kiss, which surprised the alpha.

He was usually the one to initiate affection and touches between them, so being on the receiving end of Loki’s advances was nice.

The omega pulled away then and smiled brightly, stroking at Thor’s cheek with his thumb. “Thank you, Thor. This is really sweet.”

Thor leaned forward and kissed Loki again, humming against his lips. “Of course, love. I’ve been planning this for about a month now.”

Loki found himself kissing Thor again and again, overjoyed that Thor had done something so sweet and thoughtful like this. “That means a lot.”

The pair smiled at each other and kissed once more before Thor rubbed at Loki’s side. “Let’s hurry and get to the hill so we can watch the sunset.”

“Norns, if only we had wine to go with it, like in the movie,” sighed Loki, stepping out of Thor’s arms.

Thor opened their mini-fridge, glad that he asked the owners of the bed and breakfast to put this here for them. “Well, would you look at this? Wine,  _ and _ wine glasses, with a convenient blanket and picnic basket.”

Loki broke out into the biggest grin, touched by the gesture. “You really thought of everything…”

“Of course I did, love,” murmured Thor, kissing Loki gently. “I really wanted you to enjoy this.”

Loki pulled Thor close and wrapped his arms around his waist, kissing him again. “Thank you, Thor. This really means a lot to me.”

They shared one more kiss before pulling away from each other, and Thor placed the wine, wine glasses, and blanket in the picnic basket before reaching out and taking Loki’s hand. “Ready to watch the sunset?”

Loki grinned up at him, and the look on his face just  _ melted _ Thor’s heart in all the right ways. “Norns, you’re so beautiful.”

Hearing Thor compliment him only made his smile grow, and he pulled Thor in for another kiss, happy that he had the alpha. 

They shared yet another loving kiss before pulling away and grinning at each other, Loki finally squeezing Thor’s hand. “Let’s go watch the sunset.”

Thor opened the door for Loki and followed him out of their room, letting Loki lead them down the stairs and to the back of the bed and breakfast, heading up the trail that led to the hill overlooking the small town.

The walk was nice, and although it was still a bit cold outside - it was mid-February after all - the air wasn’t too chilled.

It took the pair about 15 minutes to make it up the hill, and once they were at the top Loki gasped, pulling out his phone. “ _ Norns _ this is lovely, Thor! Let’s take a picture!”

Thor set down their picnic basket and wrapped an arm around Loki’s waist, kissing his cheek. “Alright.”

Loki faced his phone screen towards him and Thor, smiling as he took the picture.

“Norns,” Smiled Loki, staring back at the picture fondly. “This is lovely.”

Thor noticed his genuine smile in the picture and kissed Loki’s cheek again, smiling when the omega melted in his arms. “Send that to me, please?”

Loki hummed softly, quickly sending it to Thor. “Norns, this is so amazing, Thor. I can’t believe you actually did this for me.”

Thor led them back over to their picnic spot and spread out the blanket, helping Loki sit down. “It  _ is _ Valentine’s day. It would be terrible if I didn’t do anything for you.”

Loki blushed when he heard the statement, sitting down and pulling Thor with him so that the alpha would wrap his arms around him. “This is by far the best Valentine’s day I’ve ever experienced.”

The alpha smiled softly and settled himself behind Loki, wrapping his arms around the man. “I feel the same.”

Hearing this statement made Loki’s heart skip a beat, and he leaned back, meeting Thor for a kiss.

While shifting his hold around Loki, Thor’s hand bumped into a thick box in Loki’s pocket, and he raised an eyebrow at the omega, waiting for an explanation.

“Oh… that’s my gift for you.”

Thor widened his eyes in shock when Loki said this. “What?”

“I-It’s your gift. I didn’t know if you wanted something big or flashy, so… I figured this would be nice.” Loki turned a bit in Thor’s arms, reaching into his jacket pocket and grabbing the box. “Here. Open it.”

Thor took the box almost reverently, touched to his very core that Loki actually got him something. “Norns… Loki you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“I wanted to,” Rushed Loki, smiling up at Thor. “I hope you like it…”

Thor carefully opened the box, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the intricately designed gold watch inside. “Norns, this must’ve cost you a fortune!” He snapped up to look at Loki. “Loki, I-I-”

Loki covered Thor’s hands with his, not wanting him to worry. “It’s alright. I bought it for you. Don’t worry about the cost.”

Thor and Loki stared off for a few seconds before Thor relaxed, finally taking the watch out of the box. “Loki…”

Biting his lower lip nervously, Loki looked up at Thor, hoping that he didn’t go too grand with his gift. “Do you like it?”

“I-I love it!” Thor looked down at him again, pulling him closer and slanting a loving kiss against his lips. “Thank you!”

Loki grinned with relief, kissing Thor again. “I’m happy you love it.”

Thor unclipped the watch and slipped it on his wrist, loving how it looked on him. “Loki, this is wonderful.” He kissed him softly again, wanting the omega to know just how much this meant to him. “Thank you. Truly, love, thank you.”

Seeing Loki smile at him tugged at Thor’s heartstrings, and he knew that at this moment, it was now or never.

As  _ terrified _ as he was to say this, and commit to this, he knew he needed to say it.

Because as scary as it was, it was  _ true _ .

Taking Loki’s face in his, Thor kissed him slowly, wanting him to know how he truly felt. “Loki…”

Loki looked up at him with all the love and adoration he could muster, waiting for Thor to say whatever it was that he was wanting to say.

“Loki… I love you. I really,  _ truly _ do.”

Loki’s heart beat twice at that moment, and he felt himself tear up, shocked that Thor confessed this to him. “You love me?”

Thor nodded quickly, shocked that Loki’s tears made him tear up a bit as well. He laughed softly and wiped at the corners of his eyes, unable to fight back his grin, and knowing that he didn’t want to. He could be himself with Loki. “I love you. And I-I mean this.”

Loki laughed and kissed Thor again and again, feeling like he received the best lot in life.

Thor had just told him he loved him!

Twice!

Once he pulled back to grin at Thor he didn’t care about the tears falling down his own face, and laughed again, wanting Thor to know that he felt the same. “I love you too! I-I really do, and I’ve been wanting to say it, but I didn’t want you to feel rushed or scared, but,” He laughed once more, elated that Thor said he loved him. “I love you too, Thor. I really do.”

The pair shared a heartwarming kiss and hugged each other close, relieved and proud of their milestone moments.

It frightened Thor more than anything to confess that he loved Loki, as loving someone again meant that he was opening himself up and becoming vulnerable once more.

But Loki was opening up his heart too, and the omega loved him with such fierceness and genuineness, that Thor couldn’t help but return it.

Loki deserved so  _ much _ in this life, and… and Thor just wanted to be the one to give it all to him.

✬⭒✭⭒✮


	8. Easier Said Than Done

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Spending Valentine's Day with Thor had been the best weekend of Loki's life, and he found that when he returned to work, he couldn’t stop smiling. It had been so  _ hard _ to leave Thor’s side once they returned from their trip, and Loki found that he was now wanting the weekend to hurry up and get here again so that he could spend more time with Thor.

Freyr’s wedding was in a month, and Thor would be taking the last week of the month off to plan and celebrate Freyr’s bachelor party before the alpha’s wedding. Loki had been invited to celebrate with Gerd and her friends for her bachelorette party, so he would be taking off the last three days of the month to do so.

After his weekly morning meeting with his team, Loki made his way back to his desk, still smiling warmly as he remembered how sweet Thor had been during their trip. Knowing that they were now saying “I love you” to each other meant so much to him, and he counted this as another personal victory. A small part of him hoped that this progression would lead to their relationship blossoming into something even more beautiful than it already was.

“Looks like someone had a nice Valentine’s day,” Commented his coworker Svadilfari, suddenly appearing behind Loki and startling him. Anytime the alpha talked to him Loki felt his mood drop, and he couldn’t help but huff after shooting the alpha a dangerous look, sitting down at his desk. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

If he had one complaint about his job, it would be Svadilfari. The alpha attempted to flirt with him  _ constantly _ , and Loki turning him down or rejecting his advances was a daily occurrence. He found himself wondering what it would take to get the alpha to stop pursuing him, and frowned deeply when Svadilfari’s voice interrupted his thoughts. 

“I bet it would’ve been better if it had been spent with me, Laufeyson. I can treat you better than whatever alpha you have now.” He had a dumb, cocky smirk on his face, and seeing it pissed Loki off even more.

Rolling his eyes and frowning again, Loki turned back around and logged onto his computer, getting started on his work. “I sincerely doubt that, with  _ every _ fiber of my being,”

“I’m glad that you had a great Valentine’s day, Loki,” Answered the other omega on their team, winking at Loki.

Loki smiled at her appreciatively, his eyes quickly narrowing in on her ring finger when she tucked a section of hair behind her ear. She had a very nice engagement ring on her finger, and he smirked at her knowingly. “I see you had an excellent weekend as well, Natalie.”

The omega blushed, showing off her ring to Loki. “We’ve been together for 2 years now… I’m so excited to plan our wedding.”

Hearing about Natalie’s impending wedding immediately caused his mind to drift to thoughts of him and Thor getting married in the future, and he felt more comfortable thinking this thought now that he and the alpha were saying “I love you”. Of course, it would take awhile before Thor even grew comfortable with the idea of marrying someone, but… Loki didn’t mind. He had hope that Thor would one day decide to take that leap. “I’m happy for you.”

The omega thanked him with a coy smile on her face before getting back to her work, so Loki pulled up a spreadsheet, getting back to his work as well. Before he could fully immerse himself into his task, Angrboda cleared his throat and called out to him softly, a hopeful look on his face. Taking a brief pause from his work, Loki turned and raised an inquiring eyebrow up at the beta, wondering what he wanted. “Yes?”

To his surprise, the beta blushed quite deeply, nervously pulling out a bag from his desk drawer. “I… I got something for Valentine’s day, for you.”

Loki blinked in bewilderment when he said this, turning completely towards the beta. “You did? Why?”

This only caused Angrboda to blush further, and he reached over, handing Loki the bag. “You’re new to the team, and I-I figured I’d show my appreciation.”

“Is that what it’s called now?” Murmured Svadilfari, which earned him a fearsome glare from Loki.

Warily taking the bag from Angrboda, Loki opened it a bit, seeing that it was a nice hand lotion. “Oh, thank you. This is very nice.” He took it out of the bag and opened it, pouring a small amount onto the palm of his hand and rubbing it into his skin. “It smells very nice. Thank you, Angrboda.”

The beta nodded eagerly, beaming at him. “I-I’m glad you like it!”

Loki put the bag in one of his desk drawers, and set the lotion on his desk, wondering what to make of the gift. His coworker Angrboda was a bit  _ odd _ at the best of times, and always gave Loki weird vibes, but the beta  _ was  _ very shy, and fumbled over his words when he spoke to Loki, so he just believed that Angrboda was like this because he was naturally socially awkward. He didn’t think too much of the beta’s awkwardness or his gift until the end of the day, when they were the only two left in their cubicle.

He was packing up to leave for the day with thoughts of Thor and their weekend together on his mind when Angrboda called out to him, his voice cracking with nervousness. “Loki? A-Are you busy after this?”

Loki shook his head no slowly, raising a confused eyebrow at the omega. “No… why?”

Becoming quite flustered, Angrboda blushed deeply, beginning to stumble over his words. “U-Um… I-I was sort of hoping we could go to dinner, tonight?”

Loki blinked a few times in confusion. “As friends?”

Now Angrboda was red. “U-Um… I was sort of hoping that it could be a date?”

_ Damn. _

He’d been hoping that the beta wouldn’t ask him this, and bit a lower lip, feeling bad about having to reject him. “Angrboda, I can’t… I’m in a relationship.”

Angrboda’s face fell. “A-Are you happy?”

“I’m very happy. I’m not leaving my partner anytime soon.”

The beta’s face darkened when he said this. “Is it because I’m a beta?”

Loki sputtered in confusion, horrified that Angrboda thought this. “Wha-? No! No, no, that isn’t why. I am in a relationship and I am  _ happy _ with my partner. I’m not interested in being with someone else.”

The man didn’t seem convinced. “Do you think I haven’t heard that excuse before? Omegas say it all the time. I  _ know _ it’s because I’m not an alpha.”

Loki felt  _ very _ uncomfortable with the nature of this conversation, and gathered his things from his desk, ready to leave. “Well this time, you’re wrong. I am in a relationship, and I am happy with my partner. You’re making me feel very uncomfortable, and I don’t appreciate it.”

Laughing bitterly, Angrboda stood up when Loki did, scaring the omega even more. “You don’t have any pictures of anyone on your desk, and you’re vague every time you speak about your partner. I know you’re lying.”

Loki wanted to get out of here  _ now _ , and took a wide step back, growing fearful when Angrboda stepped forward to close the gap. “Okay, this is  _ highly _ inappropriate. I’m leaving, and I don’t want to hear about this tomorrow. I  _ will _ report you to HR if this behavior continues.”

This didn’t seem to scare Angrboda. “You won’t report Svad, but you’ll report me?”

Loki turned on his heels quickly, refusing to engage the man further. Angrboda thankfully didn’t follow him, and for this, Loki was relieved. He was making his way to Thor’s office before he could stop himself, and once he was on the executive floor he beelined towards Thor’s office, greeting his assistant. “Hello. I need to speak with Mr. Odinson.”

Thor’s assistant looked him up and down, unimpressed. “Mr. Odinson is  _ busy _ . Do you have an appointment?”

Loki blinked a few times in confusion, remembering then that anyone couldn’t just waltz into the CEO’s office. “...No. May you call him, please?”

The assistant pursed her lips, setting him with a fierce look. “What is your name?”

“Loki Laufeyson,” Murmured Loki, not pleased with the woman’s attitude.

Dialing Thor’s extension, the assistant waited for him to answer before asking him about Loki. “Sir, there’s someone by the name of Loki Laufeyson that’s requesting to see you. Should I turn him away?”

Loki waited until the phone call ended, a soft smirk on his face when he noticed that Thor must’ve said yes. “Well?”

“... Mr. Odinson will see you.”

Loki made his way back to Thor’s office and knocked, waiting for Thor to call out for him to enter.

The alpha was surprised to see Loki looking so nervous and flustered when he entered his office and immediately stood from his desk, making his way over to the man. “Hey, what’s wrong? I thought we agreed we wouldn’t meet at work during business hours?”

Loki shook his head quickly, immediately accepting Thor’s hug. “Norns, I just had the most terrifying experience. I-I know we agreed to not meet during business hours, but I just feel really creeped out, a-and seeing you was the first thing on my mind.”

Thor frowned when Loki told him this, pulling the omega over to a couch in his office and sitting down. “Norns, Loki, what happened?”

“A coworker asked me out to dinner tonight, and became quite  _ insistent _ and forceful when I politely rejected him. I told him that I would report him to HR, and he actually laughed! I-I don’t even want to walk out to my car alone now.”

Hearing that one of his employees was acting this way upset Thor, and he sighed, thinking about the best way to fix this. “I’ll have security walk you to your car, and first thing in the morning I want you meeting with HR.”

Loki relaxed when Thor said this, nodding in agreement. “Thank you.”

Leaning forward to kiss Loki’s temple, Thor pulled him close again, rubbing soothing circles into his back. “I’m sorry that happened to you, love. Call me later tonight so that we can speak about it more.”

Loki nodded, straightening up and meeting Thor for a kiss. “I’m sorry for bothering you at work. I was just so creeped out by everything, and wanted to see you.”

Thor kissed Loki again, not wanting him to worry. “It’s alright, Loki. Just promise me you’ll report him to HR in the morning.”

Closing his eyes and meeting Thor for a final kiss, Loki was relieved that he was at least able to get a dose of Thor to hold him over until Wednesday. “I’ll see you for dinner on Wednesday.”

“Of course,” Murmured the alpha, standing up with Loki. “Please drive safely.”

Loki smiled up at him, feeling much better about the events of the evening. “I will.”

Meeting for a prolonged goodbye kiss, Thor pinched at Loki’s rear, causing the omega to break away and laugh. “Now stop tempting me.”

Loki shot the alpha naughty look. “Don’t tell me you’ve been dreaming of having sex in your office?”

He seemed to have caught the alpha red-handed, as Thor’s entire face flushed red.

Loki couldn’t help but snort at this, admitting that he always had a fantasy of doing that too. “If there was no risk of getting caught, then I would love to.  _ But _ , I know both of us aren’t willing to risk our jobs, so it will unfortunately have to remain a fantasy.”

Thor scratched nervously at his beard, embarrassed by this fantasy. “You are absolutely right about that.”

Reaching out and seductively grabbing Thor’s tie, Loki pulled him forward, nipping at his lower lip. “ _ Maybe _ we can role play that scenario this weekend when I come over?”

Loki’s willingness to try new things in bed was something Thor loved about him, and Thor smirked, hands back on Loki’s slender waist. “I might have to take you up on that.”

Tilting his head up to playfully peck at Thor’s lips, Loki grinned, which only caused Thor’s heart to melt further. “Every time you smile at me, more and more of my heart melts.”

Loki widened his eyes in shock before breaking out into an even bigger grin, touched by the loving compliment. “Why are you so sweet?”

Thor smiled softly in turn. “Because I love you.”

Every time Thor said he loved him, Loki’s heart soared, and he kissed Thor appreciatively then, adoration in his gaze. “I love you too.”

Thor couldn’t help but kiss Loki back, and forced himself to break their kiss before it got too passionate, knowing that he needed to get back to work. “Call me later tonight, alright?”

Loki smiled and stepped back, knowing that he needed to get home. “I will.” He felt much better now that he’d gotten his fill of Thor, and left his office after Thor called security up for him, following the guard downstairs and to his car. Thankfully, Angrboda wasn’t waiting for him at his car, so Loki decided that he would treat himself to some ice cream and stopped by the store, picking up the pistachio concoction that made any day a great one.

He lived in a nicely gated apartment community, and if someone wanted to visit him, they had to be given permission by him first to receive a code. So when he changed into his pajamas and settled onto his couch with a silly TV show on in the background, the last thing Loki expected was to get a call from his brother Byleistr. Loki hadn’t spoken to him since he stopped speaking to his family 3 months ago, and warily answered, not knowing what to expect.

Although Loki hated his entire family with a  _ passion _ , he wasn’t too sure how he felt about Byleistr. The beta was only 5 years older than him, and was a bit nicer to him than the rest of his family. He never called Loki names, and he never participated when their family hounded on him. He also never publicly stood up against their family to protect Loki though, which did hurt his feelings.

His entire life he’d just wanted someone to care about him, and for  _ someone _ to stick up for him, and no one ever did. He had to become his own protector growing up in his family, so although his brother tried to be there for him, Loki still didn’t trust him.

Remaining silent once he answered the phone, Loki waited for his brother to say something.

“...Loki?”

He had to fight to keep a frown off of his face. “What do you want, Byleistr?”

“Helblindi and I were hoping we could come in. We’ve brought some dinner with us, too.”

Inviting his brothers in for dinner seemed like a disaster waiting to happen, but he hadn’t spoken to his family in over 3 months and knew that sooner or later he would have to. “Are Mom and Dad with you?”

“No. It’s just us.”

Loki sighed softly and gave in, deciding that if his brothers were rude to him, he would kick them out, and keep ignoring his family. “Fine. I’ll call the gatekeeper and let him know to let you both through.”

He could hear the relief in his brother’s voice. “Thank you.”

Hanging up so that he could call his gatekeeper, Loki headed to his bedroom and changed into more appropriate clothing afterward, figuring that his conservative siblings would be  _ scandalized _ by his exposed midriff and his barely-there night shorts.

His doorbell rang not too long afterward, and Loki felt his heart begin to beat nervously, as he didn’t know how this meeting would go. If it was just Byleistr he wouldn’t be as scared, but knowing that his oldest brother Helblindi would be here too just sent shivers down his spine.

Working up the courage to answer his door, Loki took in a steadying breath, and unlocked it, greeting his siblings. “Hello.” He stepped aside and let them both in, slowly closing his door and sending off a quick prayer to the Norns that this would be a calm dinner.

Helblindi set their food down onto the dining room table and sighed, looking around Loki’s place. “It’s good to see your alpha’s things aren’t here.”

Loki frowned, immediately getting defensive. “Why does it matter?”

“Because premarital sex and bonding is a sin, Loki,” Murmured his brother Byleistr, getting nervous. “I know you don’t follow the sacred texts exactly as they should be followed, but… knowing that you’re upholding certain parts of the religion is comforting.”

Loki kept his mouth shut, knowing that his brothers would  _ flip _ if he revealed that he wasn’t a chaste virgin. “What did you bring for dinner?”

“Mom made some casserole, and told us to bring it to you,” Answered Helblindi. “Go get us some plates and water.”

Loki hated that his brother was demanding him around like this, but it was unfortunately nothing new. His brother was a stereotypical alpha just like his father, and believed that omegas existed to serve them, and all of their desires because it was their “Norn-given” right.

“A “please” would’ve been nice,” He muttered, heading to his kitchen and grabbing them all plates. He also poured them all some water and set it on the table, taking over and beginning to distribute the food amongst them all.

Helblindi waited until Loki was done serving them food before bowing his head to pray, and reciting the standard prayer of thanks to the Norns.

Loki mumbled his way through it and began to eat once his brother finished, deciding to remain silent until one of his brothers spoke up.

Finally, Byleistr cleared his throat, looking over at Loki. “Mom wants to know why you’re ignoring him. You haven’t been coming to the monthly family dinners.”

Pursing his lips into a tight frown, Loki stared at his brother head on, ready to defend himself and his decision. “You were all  _ terribly _ rude the last time I saw you. If no one apologizes, then you won’t see me again.”

Both of his brothers froze before Helblindi’s face contorted into anger. “Apologize for  _ what? _ You displayed yourself so poorly in front of your alpha, and you made all of us look bad!”

“ _ I _ did no such thing!” Loki shot back, glaring at his oldest brother. “The only thing that made all of you look bad were your words and your actions!”

“ _ Lower _ your voice, Loki,” Chastised his brother Byleistr, which only upset Loki further. “I am a good person! And I am  _ sick _ and tired of this family telling me that I’m not! Thor told me he loves me and it made me realize that in order to love him, I needed to love myself. And I can’t do that when I’m around all of you.”

Helblindi narrowed his eyes at Loki with incredulity. “What?”

“You heard me! Until I am treated with the love and respect that I deserve, you won’t see me. I am an adult, and I deserve to have people in my life that support and love me. I don’t want you in my life if you’re only going to tear me down and make me feel terrible every time we meet.”

Helblindi set down his fork, raising an eyebrow at Loki. “Are these the lies that your alpha is filling you with? Do you  _ actually _ think he cares about you more than your family?”

Loki refused to let his brother try and warp his mind, and shook his head, continuing to stand up for himself. “I know he cares about me! And even if he didn’t, I’m realizing that I need to care about myself! I can’t do that if I have people like you telling me I don’t deserve love or good things in life.”

Byleistr looked back and forth between his siblings, shaking his head. “Loki, you know that we all love you. We’re just trying to  _ help _ . Why can’t you see this?”

“Yes, that’s all we’re trying to do! Help you!” Insisted Helblindi, getting more and more upset. “Why do you act as if we are the worst people alive? We do so  _ much _ for you-”

“What do you do for me?” Interrupted Loki, his patience shot. “What have you  _ ever _ done to make me feel loved and supported?”

His oldest brother babbled, trying to think of something. “I-I-I-”

“Exactly!” Hissed Loki, narrowing his eyes at the man. “You can’t think of anything! And that’s my issue! If you loved me, you wouldn’t talk to me like I was an idiot or a shame to this family. You wouldn’t be so spiteful, and you would respect me for choosing to live differently! But you don’t! And I know you never will!”

Byleistr sighed, trying to calm Loki down. “Loki-”

“And  _ you! _ ” Growled Loki, refusing to hold back. “I don’t want to hear you telling me to calm down! All my life I needed someone to stand up for me and support me, and you never did! So don’t act like you care about me!”

Before either of his brothers could respond Loki stood up sharply, jostling the table. “You know what? I’m done. Get out. Until you can apologize to me and treat me with the dignity and respect that I deserve, I don’t want to see you.”

He was trembling with emotion by this point and wiped at his eyes with a shaking hand, hating that his family always brought out the worst parts of him. “Leave.  _ Now _ .”

Helblindi stood and scoffed at Loki, heading towards the front door of Loki’s apartment. “I hope you know that you just shoved away the only people that will ever care about you! See if I’ll ever care again! You could be homeless tomorrow and I  _ wouldn’t _ care!”

Byleistr stood up quickly as well, shooting Loki a hurt look. “You’ve changed, Loki. And I don’t like who you’ve become.”

Loki wished hearing this didn’t hurt him, and he turned his head, wincing when his brother slammed the front door shut.

Now that he was alone Loki allowed himself to cry, and cleaned up the remnants of their dinner, throwing everything away.

He  _ hated _ that his family treated him like a pariah, and made his way back to his couch, crying into his hands.

He’d stood up for himself for the first time in his life, and didn’t let his brothers’ words deter him. He’d demanded respect and the fact that his family couldn’t even do that hurt him.  _ Deeply _ . He knew that he’d officially alienated himself from his family now, and besides Thor, he really didn’t have anyone.

Admitting this hurt him, and he sniffed, reaching out with a shaking hand to see who was calling him when his phone began to ring. Relief flashed through him when he saw that it was Thor, and he swiped up, answering. “Hello?”

Thor was shocked to hear Loki crying, and inhaled sharply, asking what was wrong. “Are you alright?”

“No… my brothers came over to visit and it didn’t go well.”

Hearing this broke Thor’s heart. “Norns… I’m so sorry, love. I’ve just left my office; should I come over?”

Loki knew that they didn’t see each other besides Wednesday and the weekends, but he really wanted to be comforted. Being with Thor just made him feel so loved and  _ wanted _ , and he found himself nodding, trying to not break down again. “ _ Please… _ ”

This was all Thor needed to hear, and he changed lanes on the highway, immediately heading towards Loki’s place. “I’m on my way, love.”

Loki sniffed and closed his eyes, relieved that Thor was so understanding. “Thank you.”

“What can I do to help, Loki?”

“Um… just… just don’t hang up.”

This put a soft smile on Thor’s face. “I won’t. I’ll stay on the phone with you until I get to your place.”

Loki settled into the couch and closed his eyes as Thor began to speak to him, allowing the alpha to drift his focus onto things other than his terrible meeting with his brothers. He decided that he wanted to change out of the restrictive clothing he’d put on for his brothers, and climbed into bed, allowing the comforting tenor of Thor’s voice to calm him.

Thor arrived at Loki’s place 15 minutes later and entered Loki’s gate code, parking in the visitor’s section and heading up to Loki’s unit.

The omega had given him a key to his place, so Thor unlocked his front door and made his way into the apartment, heading to Loki’s room. His face lit up immediately upon seeing Thor enter the room, and he couldn’t help but smile back at the man, sitting down at his side. “Hey, Loki. How are you feeling?”

Nestling into Thor’s warm hand, Loki stretched up to kiss him, humming against his lips. “Better, now that you’re here.”

Thor leaned forward and returned Loki’s kiss, both hands cradling his face. “Let me take this off and put on something comfortable.”

Loki nodded and kissed Thor again before pulling away. They usually spent the night at Thor’s penthouse, so Thor didn’t have many clothes of his own here to change into.

Stripping down to his underwear, Thor opened up the dresser drawer that had become his designated one, and pulled out a pair of night pants and a sleeping shirt, getting dressed. “Are you hungry?”

“No, not really,” sighed Loki, scooting closer to Thor once the alpha climbed into bed behind him. “I just want to hug you.” Confessing this made him blush, but he didn’t feel as embarrassed as he used to feel when it came to being affectionate. They were now saying that they loved each other, so Loki felt more comfortable expressing that said love.

Thor never turned him away, and kissed at his temple, running a soothing hand down his side. “Lucky for you, there are plenty of hugs to go around.”

Loki couldn’t help but snort, nestling closer into Thor’s arms. “Thank you for coming over, Thor. I really needed this.”

Humming softly in agreement, Thor kissed Loki’s temple again, realizing that he really enjoyed being able to see Loki at the end of each day. “Me too. As embarrassing as it is to admit, seeing you is always the highlight of my week.”

Knowing that Thor felt the same made him happy, and he grinned as the alpha kissed at his scent glands. “Why do you love my scent so much?”

“I don’t know… your scent is just so comforting.” He kissed him here again. “I feel like I’m addicted.”

Figuring that it was his upcoming heat that was making him smell so nice, Loki sighed, thinking about how he would handle the event.

He’d been on suppressants for years now, and other than his heat with Thor 5 months ago, he hadn’t had another one. Thor had asked him to get on birth control shortly after becoming official so that they didn’t have to use condoms, so with both suppressants and birth control in his system, he wouldn’t have a heat unless he stopped his suppressants. “You’re probably smelling my upcoming heat. If I don’t take suppressants then I have it around the 19th every three months.”

Thor wondered why hearing about Loki’s upcoming heat made him so happy. “What are you going to do about your heat?”

“I’m staying on suppressants.”

This admittedly made Thor a little sad, but he forced it away, telling himself that they weren’t married and that Loki most likely didn’t want to share his heat with him again  _ just _ yet. “Alright.”

Loki could tell that Thor seemed disappointed by his answer, and looked up at him, meeting him for a kiss. “Are you disappointed? Do you want to share another heat together?”

He and Loki had been working on being more honest with each other lately, so Thor decided to do just that, hoping that his answer wouldn’t push Loki away. “I would like to, in all honesty.” He quirked up an eyebrow at the omega. “Is this okay?”

It did surprise Loki to hear that Thor wanted to share another heat with him, and he sat up a bit, looking down at him curiously. “You really want to share another heat with me?”

Thor shifted beneath him and pulled Loki back into his arms, settling the omega so that he lied across him. “Is that bad?”

“No, not at all,” Began Loki, searching Thor’s gaze. “If you want to, then I would love to.”

Sharing a heat with an omega was a  _ very _ intimate thing, and it was something that held a lot of significance. Sharing a heat with a partner was a big step in a relationship, and although Loki was surprised to hear this desire from Thor, it did make him happy. Thor was slowly working on opening himself up to him, and his efforts did not go unnoticed.

Kissing Thor softly to reassure him that he was fine with sharing his upcoming heat with him, Loki massaged his thumbs against the alpha’s cheeks, happy that he was able to see Thor tonight. “I would love to share my heat with you. I’ll stop taking my suppressants, so you’ll need to take two days off from work to help me through it.”

Thor returned Loki’s kiss, relieved that they both felt this was a step in their relationship that they wanted to take. “And you’re still on birth control?”

Loki nodded, kissing Thor again. “I ended up getting the implant. I didn’t like how the pills made me feel.”

“Perfect. We have nothing to worry about.”

Laughter left him when Thor pressed a flurry of kisses against his scent glands, and he playfully pushed at Thor, smirking when the alpha rolled them over so that he was trapped under him. “Are you spending the night here?”

  
  


Thor traced kisses down to Loki’s collar bone, sneaking a hand under his crop top to rub a thumb over a hardening nipple. “I thought I was. Do you not want me to?”

Loki knew Thor was teasing him, and relaxed under his gentle touches, teasing him back. “I don’t. In fact, I never want to see you again!”

Thor snorted and kissed over the flat expanse of Loki’s abdomen. “You won’t be saying that in a minute.”

“Oh  _ really? _ ” Retorted Loki, shimmying out of his night shorts when Thor tugged on them. 

Kissing at Loki’s flaccid length, Thor locked eyes with him and he winked at the man, smirking when Loki rolled his eyes. “If things go as planned, you’ll be too exhausted to kick me out. You’ll be stuck with me for the rest of the night.”

Relaxing once again under Thor’s touch, Loki ran his fingers through the alpha’s hair as he stroked and licked at him, thankful that Thor had been able to make this day better. “That doesn’t sound half bad.”

The alpha spent his time pleasuring Loki with his mouth, wanting to make tonight all about Loki. His kisses were soft, his caresses were gentle, and his tongue found itself tracing over the expanses and contours of Loki’s body, soothing him and relaxing him in ways that he could appreciate tonight.

Their sex was more gentle tonight, and Loki found that he drowned in Thor’s touch, the alpha’s kisses causing his head to swirl, and every nerve in him lit aflame when he climaxed, all of the tension and stress from the day leaving his body.

He knew that he and Thor had been dating for just under 6 months and that it was still early in their relationship, but he really appreciated the alpha and loved him like no other. 

Of course, he had no way of knowing how their relationship would progress as time went on, but if right now was any indication, he had nothing to worry about.

They loved each other and were  _ trying _ , and to Loki, that’s what was most important. 

  
✬⭒✭⭒✮  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall this work is turning into a giant fluff/angst/smutty demon T.T
> 
> Why do I love it so much T.T this story was literally supposed to have like... 5 chapters but there is no end in sight at the moment XD


	9. I Have A Question...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!!!!!!!
> 
> This chapter clocks in at 7.6k, and I figured I'd share it just in time for Christmas :)

✬⭒✭⭒✮  


Waking up in Thor’s arms was something Loki considered to be the best feeling in the world, and he wished that he could experience it every day. They’d only been together for just over 4 months though, so moving in together this soon was out of the question. He’d gotten lucky that Thor confessed he loved him so early in the relationship, and that they were now saying “I love you”. Knowing that they would be spending his next heat together helped him feel even better, as that was a pretty big step to take in a relationship.

Thor would have to leave his apartment soon, though - it was 5am - and head into the office first to avoid rousing suspicion. Loki wished that they could eat breakfast together before Thor left, but knew that there wasn’t much time. He  _ did _ remain in Thor’s arms for as long as he could and felt a part of himself grow a bit sad when Thor began to wake up.

Inhaling deeply and pressing a warm kiss against Loki’s temple, Thor stretched out in bed, knowing that he needed to leave so that he could head back to his place and get ready for work. Loki was staring up at him with the most captivating gaze though, and he couldn’t help but mirror his smile when they met for a kiss. “Good morning, love.”

Loki melted in Thor’s arms, kissing him again. “Morning.”

They sat in bed for a few minutes before Thor moved to leave, kissing Loki’s temple a final time. “I have to get going, Loki.” Seeing Loki’s adorable pout made him smile, and he leaned forward to meet the omega for another kiss. “I’ll be busy today, but… maybe we can meet for dinner around 8?”

This put a smile back on Loki’s face and he nodded, kissing Thor again. “I’m looking forward to it. I’ll see you tonight.”

The pair smiled at each other and met for a final kiss before Thor pulled away. “I love you. Please go to HR and report your coworker, and then text me when you can with an update.”

Hearing Thor tell him that he loved him always put a pep in Loki’s step and he fell back in bed, smiling softly. “I love you too. And I will.” Watching Thor leave did make him sad, but knowing that they’d see each other later that night helped him feel better.

He’d always been a hopeless romantic at heart, so dreaming of a future where he was married to Thor and able to be with him every day wasn’t so odd. Of course, the alpha  _ did _ have commitment issues because of his past, and Loki understood why, but Thor asked to share his heat with him, which was a  _ very  _ big step. Thor wanting to progress their relationship in this direction meant that the alpha did see a strong future with him.

He remained in bed for 30 minutes scrolling aimlessly through social media before getting up and going through his usual morning routine of yoga, breakfast, showering, and heading to work. On the mornings he felt especially nervous he often meditated for 10 minutes, and decided that before leaving for work he would do this. He was quite nervous to face Angrboda after the events of yesterday, and hoped that he would be safe after reporting him to HR.

Arriving at work around 9, Loki warily made his way to his cubicle and sat down, accidentally meeting Angrboda’s gaze. He felt an anxious shiver run down his spine when the beta opened his mouth to speak, and he quickly turned, greeting his coworker Natalie instead. “Good morning, Natalie.”

Natalie smiled sweetly at him, returning his greeting. “Good morning, Loki.”

Svadilfari humphed loudly then, drawing attention to himself. “Am I invisible? Surely I mean  _ something  _ to you, Loki.”

Loki’s lips pursed into a frown. “Good morning, Svadilfari. My morning was oh so bleak before coming into your presence. Seeing you has lifted my mood, and my life is now changed forever. You truly are a god amongst men.”

He and Natalie laughed together when Svadilfari frowned, rolling his eyes in annoyance at the pair. “You’ll miss my advances when I stop trying to woo you, Loki. Everyone does.”

Snorting at the remark, Loki logged into his computer, beginning his work for the day. “The day you stop wooing me I’ll have to throw a party.”

Angrboda opened his mouth to speak to him then, and Loki recoiled when the beta called out to him, his heart beginning to race. “Loki? Um… I was wondering if I could speak to your privately in the break room for a moment?”

The break room was usually full of employees this early in the morning, so Loki warily agreed to his request, knowing that Angrboda wouldn’t try anything while they were surrounded by employees. “Sure…” Standing up and making his way to the break room, Loki turned to face the beta once they were in a semi-seclusive spot, trying to calm his fast-beating heart. “Well?”

Looking away from Loki, Angrboda frowned, obviously nervous about the situation. “I-I just wanted to apologize for my actions yesterday. I was out of line. Who you do and don’t date is none of my business.”

Loki wasn’t too convinced by the display, but nodded anyway, taking a wide step back when Angrboda leaned forward. “That’s fine. Just don’t overstep your boundaries again.” He walked away from Angrboda after saying this and made a beeline for his boss’s office, knocking on her door and waiting for her to call out to him.

Sigyn looked up as Loki entered her office, a pleased smile on her face. “Loki! How are you this morning? Your team has been pulling excellent numbers, so whatever you’re doing  _ keep _ doing it.”

Being complimented by his director lifted his mood  _ significantly _ , and he smiled proudly, elated by the compliment. “Of course. But… I was actually hoping I could speak to you about Angrboda for a moment.”

Sigyn raised a confused eyebrow at Loki, sitting up straighter in her seat. “What about Angrboda?”

“Angrboda… was very inappropriate with me yesterday, and our discussion left me uncomfortable enough that I had to be escorted out to my car by security. I would like to formally report him to HR.” Getting the words out was half the battle, and he sighed, knowing he needed to explain a bit more. “He asked me out to dinner, and after learning that I was in a relationship, he became very upset and intimidated me physically. I asked him to stop more than once, and he did not.”

He could tell his boss wasn’t happy to hear this, and she frowned deeper and deeper the more he explained the situation. Once he was finished she sighed, shaking her head in frustration. “It’s always the quiet ones we have to worry about, Norns. Begin filling out the HR paperwork and email it to me so that I can sign it digitally. If he does anything else that makes you feel uncomfortable, please don’t hesitate to let me know, and I’ll handle it myself.”

Loki relaxed when she told him this, thankful that he had her support. “Thank you, Sigyn. I’ll send over that paperwork once I finish it.” He stood up to leave then and stopped at her door when Sigyn called out to him, turning back around. “Yes?”

Sigyn had a look on her face that Loki couldn’t exactly pinpoint, and it made him feel slightly uncomfortable. “You’re very important to me, and I want to keep you on my team. I value you as a member of this division, and I know you’ll do great things for us.”

He nodded slowly, telling himself that his boss was just wanting to reassure him about his place on this team. “Of course. Thank you, Sigyn.” He moved to exit the room next, nodding at her again before leaving. 

His boss wasn’t an  _ odd _ woman, but she always stared at him like she was attempting to discern his deepest secrets, and he couldn’t understand why. She was around the same age as Thor, and wasn’t married, so Loki  _ hoped _ that he was just imagining things when it came to his boss possibly trying to push their work relationship into a  _ different _ direction.

It didn’t take long to finish filling out the HR paperwork, a quick message being sent to him to let him know that they would handle the situation swiftly after it was submitted. Angrboda had been called into their director's office two hours after submitting the paperwork, and he did see an HR representative enter the director’s office as well, so he knew that his job would take his complaint seriously.

He honestly did love working for this company, and it made him sad to know that if he and Thor did get married, he would have to possibly leave. Employees would complain of favoritism if they ever found out about him and Thor, and it would cause a lot of unrest in the company, which was something that neither of them wanted. 

For now though he would focus on doing his best and excelling in the position he was currently in. Knowing Thor, Loki would probably be 30 before he proposed.

He tried to not feel too sad about that.

✬⭒✭⭒✮  


Loki’s heats usually lasted two or three days and began in the evenings, so he took off three days of medical leave to handle his heat. It had been determined that he would spend his heat at Thor’s penthouse, so he packed up his things and drove over to Thor’s apartment after work, heading into his bedroom and showering before climbing into bed.

Thor told him that he would do his best to make it home before 6, but Loki had a nagging feeling that he would get here after that. Although Thor was a busy man, he did do his best to make time for them, so he wasn’t too bothered by the prospect of Thor being late.

Being surrounded by the alpha’s scent always drove him insane in the best way possible, and he gathered Thor’s sheets and blanket around him, inhaling deeply. Thor always smelled of cinnamon and faint pine, and Loki  _ loved _ it, drowning in his scent more and more as he felt his body heat up.

Thoughts of Thor running his calloused hands over his body had Loki biting back a groan, and imagining how good it would feel to have Thor pounding into him and connecting with him had him squirming, a purposeful hand coming down to stroke at himself. 

Moving his hand along his hardening shaft, Loki imagined that it was Thor’s hand instead, wishing that the alpha was here with him. It didn’t take long for him to begin to slicken after he started touching himself, and he let out a low moan when he maneuvered a finger into himself, angling it perfectly and beginning to spread himself. 

One finger became two, and two fingers soon turned into three as Loki continued his ministrations, not even caring about stifling his moans. The squelch of his fingers as they entered him only thrust him higher into his heat mindset, and his pheromones flared around him, seeking out Thor.

Pitiful cries for his alpha left him as he continued to suffer through the beginnings of his heat alone, and he felt tears spring to his eyes at the thought that Thor might not come.

Of course, this wasn’t true and made no sense - Loki was in the alpha’s penthouse, and he  _ would _ have to come home eventually - but the mindset of a being in heat or rut was muddled at best, and coherent thought was not something that could be achieved during this time.

Imagining that Thor abandoned him had Loki sobbing as he continued to fuck himself on his fingers, and he was too far gone in the throes of his heat to even begin to rationalize the moment.

Like an answer to his prayers Thor’s scent suddenly flooded the room, and Loki shot up out of bed, immediately clinging to Thor’s body and nestling himself into the alpha’s scent glands on his neck. “Alpha!”

Thor had been caught up in a meeting that ran late, and pulled Loki closer, inhaling the omega’s heady scent as he kissed at his scent glands. “I’m sorry I’m late, Omega.”

Loki continued to nuzzle into the scent glands on Thor’s neck, every fiber of his being screaming in relief that his alpha hadn’t abandoned him. “A-Alpha, I thought, y-you didn’t-”

Shushing Loki gently, Thor kissed at his temple, the omega’s overwhelming pheromones beginning to draw his rut out of him. “I’m here now, love. Let me strip.” Loki seemed loathe to let him go, so getting out of his clothes was a bit of a hassle. The man quickly realized that Thor was undressing so that he could be with him though, and clumsily helped Thor unbutton his shirt and remove his clothing.

Once Thor was naked Loki dragged him into bed and forcibly rolled them over, positioning himself on top of Thor and sinking down on him before Thor could process what was happening.

Feeling Loki’s warmth around him was the catalyst that caused Thor’s rationality to fly out the window, and he growled low in his throat, flipping them until Loki was folded in half beneath him.  _ “You’re mine.” _

Loki nodded hurriedly, not wanting Thor to think differently. “Yes!  _ Yes,  _ Alpha!” Thor moved into him at such a breathtaking pace, and was taking full advantage of Loki’s range of flexibility, hitting his prostate at the right angle each time.

Being filled with Thor drove Loki  _ insane _ , and he clung onto the alpha tightly, crying out again and again every time Thor moved into him.

This was all he ever wanted, and being one with Thor brought tears to Loki’s eyes once again, being wrapped in the alpha’s warm embrace causing him to feel as if he were growing delirious from it all. It didn’t take him long to climax like this, and as Thor continued to fuck him through the over sensitivity, Loki clung on for dear life, gasping when Thor’s knot forced itself past his rim.

Feeling Thor like this was breathtaking, and knowing that Thor loved him and actually  _ wanted _ to share this experience together made it that much easier to truly let go, and give himself to the alpha. Lying in his comforting embrace as they came down from the first of many sexual highs, Loki couldn’t help but dream of a future where this would happen again and again.

He felt so  _ loved _ and appreciated in this moment, and clung even tighter to Thor, feeling as if he never wanted to let go. And Thor held him close, reassuring him that he loved him, and showering his body with reverent kisses. Thor nestling purposefully into his neck caused Loki to reveal it, as there was nothing in him that didn’t want to bond to Thor. The alpha actually growled low in his throat and nipped at Loki here, causing the omega to let out a litany of “please, please alpha,  _ please _ -” and Thor bit him harder, almost breaking the skin.

Loki went completely lax in Thor’s hold and positioned himself for the mating bite, his eyes screwed shut in anticipation of the blissful pain that would come once the alpha sealed them together as one.

Only… the pain never came.

Thor didn’t bite him.

Confusion flooded Loki’s senses as he shifted to look up at Thor, and he teared up when their eyes connected, hurt that the alpha didn’t go through with it. He couldn’t understand why Thor didn’t bite him, couldn’t fathom why they weren’t enjoying their bond right now, and searched through the alpha’s gaze, seeing the overwhelming fear and minute regret within his depths.

Clarity came over them in that singular moment, and although saddened that Thor was too terrified to bond, Loki understood. His alpha had been through a lot in his life, and was  _ hurting _ deep inside. And he was still working himself through it. Stretching up to kiss him, Loki closed his eyes, pouring all of his love and understanding and willingness to wait into the kiss. He wanted Thor to know that he would always love him, that he could  _ trust _ him with his heart, and that he didn’t want Thor to feel pressured into any relationship milestone.

Even though their minds were both muddled by their heat and rut, Loki knew that Thor understood him. He loved Thor, and he  _ would  _ wait for him. He would show him that he could open up his heart again bit by bit, and that he would be there every step of the way.

He could wait.

✬⭒✭⭒✮  


Thor hated himself when he woke up. He was shocked that he’d almost bitten Loki during his heat, as he’d come so  _ close  _ to almost bonding them together. Loki had been so pliant and so trusting in his hands, and when his teeth broke Loki’s skin the omega had offered himself fully to Thor, and  _ begged  _ him to go all the way.

And it terrified him that he almost did.

Being with Loki came so easy, and it felt so natural to him, being no harder than taking a breath or waking up in the morning. When he’d almost bonded to Loki he’d felt the rush of adrenaline in his veins, and every single fiber within him was  _ screaming  _ at him to do it, but he couldn’t. 

He was too scared.

They’d only been together for 5 months, and although they’d come a long way, Thor was terrified of moving too fast, and even more terrified of moving too slow. The last thing he wanted was Loki leaving him because he let fear rule him, and dictate how their relationship played out.

Loki was thankfully still passed out next to him, so Thor sighed, scratching at his beard and trying to figure out where they would go from here. Breaking up because he was scared of commitment was out of the question, as he would suffer forever in hell if he broke Loki’s heart that way. Nothing in him wanted to leave Loki, and in fact he wanted to progress their relationship even further.

He just didn’t know where to begin.

Did he ask Loki to move in with him? To marry him? If he was wanting to bond to Loki, that was as big of a commitment as marriage, and… and Thor didn’t know if he wanted that right now. He felt  _ stuck _ . And he didn’t know what he wanted to do about it.

He’d never felt this conflicted in his life, and looked over at Loki, a soft smile beginning to tug at his lips as he watched him sleep peacefully. He loved the omega so much, and he knew that he wanted to give him the world. He didn’t want to ever see Loki cry again, and he wanted to give him whatever he wanted in life. He… he actually wanted to share the rest of his life with him.

Once he accepted that he really didn’t want to leave Loki ever, the idea of bonding to him and marrying him didn’t seem so scary. Loki hadn’t done anything that posed major red flags, and their relationship was perfect in all the best ways. Loki being in his life improved its quality in more ways than one, and the longer he thought on it, the more sure he became.

He wanted to marry Loki.

He wanted to be with the omega forever.

He  _ wanted  _ to spend the rest of his life with the person that had truly stolen his heart, and desired to take the leap into this uncertainty and the unknown. Marriage was a huge step - as was bonding - but he wanted to do it anyway, as he knew that he would never come across someone like Loki again.

The omega was perfect to him in all the best ways, and he really loved him. He wanted to share intricate moments with Loki, he wanted to grow with Loki, he wanted to be the alpha that Loki deserved and had been praying for, and… and he didn’t want to risk losing it all because of fear.

Accepting that marrying Loki was what he wanted to do felt as if the weight of the world had finally been lifted off of his shoulders, and he continued to think in bed for hours, remembering that Loki wanted to have a family of his own as well. Thor didn’t mind having children with the omega the more he thought of it, and even found himself growing fond of starting a family with Loki once they had time to enjoy being a married couple.

Thor hadn’t dreamt of fantasies like this since Jane in college, and he decided at this moment that he needed to let go of her and the hurt in his heart if he was really going to go through with this.

Loki didn’t deserve to not have every single part of him, and… and he wanted to give all of him to the omega. He wanted Loki to hold every single piece of his heart.

All of these realizations were mind-blowing for Thor, and he absentmindedly pulled Loki closer to him, wondering how he would propose to Loki now that he knew he wanted to marry him.

His first thought was to just propose when the omega woke up, but he quickly tossed that idea out the window, knowing that Loki deserved to have the dramatic and loving proposal that every omega dreamed of receiving. He wanted to put thought into his proposal, wanted to carefully pick out Loki’s ring, and wanted to plan out the perfect way to ask the omega to be his forever.

Loki let out a soft moan then and began to wake up, so Thor looked down, smiling gently at the man. “Good afternoon.” Loki blinked slowly a few times, still feeling exhausted from his heat. “Hey.” He nestled closer into Thor’s arms then and rested across the alpha’s broad chest, not wanting to leave his embrace. “Is it Wednesday?”

“It’s Wednesday afternoon,” Murmured Thor, kissing at his temple. “It’s only been two days, so we have the rest of the day to laze about in bed.”

“We need to shower and change the sheets,” Sighed Loki, still remaining on Thor’s chest. “And I’m hungry.”

Looking down at Loki, Thor couldn’t help but smile, his heart skipping a beat when Loki smiled back up at him. “I love you.”

Loki’s smile only broadened, and he stretched up, meeting Thor for a loving kiss. “I love you too. I-I really do.” He gazed at Thor for some time and kissed him again before deciding to finally bring up what almost happened during his heat, knowing that it needed to be discussed. Of course, the fear of ruining what they had was running rampant through his mind, but he couldn’t just brush what almost happened under thr rug. “I do want to talk to you about something, though…” Thor hummed softly to encourage him to continue, so he looked away nervously, hoping that him saying this didn’t push Thor away. “I know we almost bonded during this heat…”

Thor prayed that he hadn’t pushed things too far. “I’m sorry.”

Shaking his head quickly, Loki sat up, fingers coming to stroke at Thor’s jaw. “Please don’t apologize. I… in the future, if we share another one of my heats together, I won’t push you away. If you want to bond to me, then I want to bond to you. Whenever that is. I really love you, and… and I can’t imagine having this connection with anyone else.” He looked down warily at Thor then, surprised that Thor had a thoughtful look on his face. “Is this okay?”

Thor nodded slowly, bringing Loki’s knuckles to his mouth to kiss. “This gives me a lot to think about. But I love you deeply, and I can’t imagine having a connection like this with anyone but you, either.” He kissed Loki’s knuckles softly again. “Give me some time, Loki.”

Loki was relieved that Thor wasn’t turned off by the idea of bonding with him, and smiled warmly, taking this as a personal victory. “Of course.”

The pair smiled sweetly at each other before meeting for another kiss, finally shuffling out of bed to shower and clean up.

Now that he was certain he wanted to marry Loki, Thor thought long and hard about how he wanted to do this, and how soon he wanted to propose. A large part of him didn’t want to wait any longer than he had to, as he felt happiness bubbling from within at the mere thought of how happy and surprised Loki would be when he did pop the question.

He was leaving for Freyr’s bachelor weekend Friday night and decided that he wanted to propose to Loki before leaving for the trip. That didn’t leave him much time to get a ring, so he thought to himself while he showered, deciding that he would leave today and shop for a ring.

Decision made, Thor got dressed purposefully after showering, which piqued Loki’s interest. The alpha had been acting weird and fidgety ever since he woke up, and he began to feel a bit self-conscious, wondering if Thor felt odd because they’d almost bonded during their heat. He hoped that wasn’t the case and reached out to hug Thor when the alpha turned to him, admittedly still feeling the residual parts of his heat that made him more clingy than usual. “Where are you going?”

Thor hummed softly, quickly kissing Loki’s temple. “I have to run out and get a few things for Freyr’s trip. I won’t have time to get them later this week before leaving.”

Loki perked up, knowing that he needed to get some things for his bachelorette weekend with Gerd. “That reminds me, I need to get a few things too. I’ll go with you.”

Beginning to laugh nervously, Thor pulled away, trying to figure out how he was going to convince Loki to not go with him. He was a terrible liar, after all. “I-It’s alright! Just text me what you need, and I’ll pick it up for you!”

Loki could always tell when Thor was lying or hiding something from him and narrowed his eyes dangerously, glaring up at the man. “Why don’t you want me going with you?”

“No reason in particular!” Rushed Thor, turning on his heels quickly. “I’ll be back in a few hours! I’ll see you then!”

Thor was gone before Loki could even respond, and the omega frowned deeply when the penthouse door closed, absolutely fuming.

He was certain now that Thor was bothered that he almost bonded to him, and Loki moved to sit down on the edge of Thor's bed, beginning to think. He knew that it would take Thor some time to grow comfortable with how quick their relationship was progressing, and after considering who the alpha was and what he'd been through, it did make sense that Thor would need some space after something like this. 

It did hurt to accept, but he did it anyway, as they were both trying their best in this relationship. Thor had been understanding about him and his family, and it was only right that Loki be understanding about Thor and his struggle with commitment. 

Thor ended up being gone all day though and didn't return until 7, which admittedly annoyed and hurt Loki. He tried not to show it too much and looked up when Thor entered the living room, noticing that he didn't have any bags with him. “I thought you went shopping for your trip?” 

The alpha's face paled considerably, and he began to babble, rushing to come up with an explanation. “Uh, I-I left them in the car! I didn't want to risk forgetting them.”

Loki shot him an unimpressed look. “You left them in your car?”

He nodded quickly, beginning to sweat bullets. Proposing to Loki today had been such a spur of the moment decision, and now that he was here with a ring in his pocket, he didn’t know how to actually pop the question.

Loki was staring at him with a hurt look in his eyes though, and this was the last thing Thor wanted to see. Nervousness aside, he wanted to reassure Loki that he loved him, and set the mood before asking. He made his way over to Loki and sat down next to him, taking the omega’s hands in his. “I’m sorry I’ve been gone shopping all day. Let me make it up to you with dinner.”

Raising an eyebrow up at him, Loki pursed his lips, still hurt that Thor had rushed out and reacted the way he did when he woke up. “Are you sure you want to be around me right now?” He saw how perplexed Thor looked and rushed to explain, not wanting him to think that he was shooting out a cutting remark. “I-I know that you’re trying your best, and that the idea of bonding to me scares you. I don’t want you to feel forced into bonding to me, so… if you need some space, I’m okay with giving that to you. I just need you to be honest with me about that.”

Thor rapidly shook his head, turning towards Loki even more on the couch. “That’s not why I left, Loki.” He could see that Loki didn’t believe him, and looked away, his heart feeling like it would pound out of his chest. “I… actually went to get you something, and didn’t want you going with me because I wanted to do it right.”

“Do what right, Thor?” Questioned Loki, not really understanding what Thor was trying to say. 

Inhaling deeply, Thor squeezed Loki’s hands a bit, deciding that he wanted to do it like this. “Loki… I understand that we haven’t been together for very long. And when I asked you to date me, I admittedly didn’t think I would fall this hard, this fast.” He could see the fear in Loki’s eyes and sighed, trying to move the conversation in a more positive direction. “You’ve literally captivated me from day one, and I haven’t been this happy in a long time. You’re the best part of every day I have, and knowing that I can call you mine makes me prouder than anything else in this life.”

Loki was beginning to smile bashfully now, so Thor knew he was on the right track. “You’ve been really patient with me, and have loved me for things no one else has. You appreciate me, you care about me deeply, and you being so honest and open about your love for me puts a smile on my face that refuses to leave. Earlier you told me that you can’t imagine sharing a connection like this with anyone else in this life, and… and I feel the same. I know it hasn’t been long, and it’s terrifying to trust this, but… I trust us. I trust  _ you _ . I love you, and… and I know bonding to you is what I want to do.”

Loki’s eyes were as wide as saucers now, and he began to laugh, elated that Thor was confessing this. “Really?”

Nodding, Thor gulped, preparing himself for the big question. He didn’t think that Loki would say no, but to be this vulnerable again was terrifying. His love for Loki was greater than his fear about being open though, and he knew in his heart that this was something he wanted to do.

He wanted to marry Loki.

“In fact… I realized today that this isn’t all I want from our relationship.”

Blinking in bewilderment, Loki scooted closer to him on the couch, searching his gaze. “What do you want? Do you want us to move in together?”

Thor slowly let go of Loki’s hands and slid off the couch, a shaking hand reaching into his pocket.

Loki was completely confused now, and raised an eyebrow at Thor, reaching out and placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. “Thor?”

Taking another deep breath, Thor pulled out the ring box, and got onto one knee, breaking out into a grin when he noticed Loki inhale sharply and begin to tear up. “Loki, I know that I will never love anyone else in this life, like I love you. And I don’t want to ever let you go. I love you, and… and I want to know if you’ll marry me?”

Loki felt like everything was happening in slow motion, and he was leaping off of the couch before he could stop himself, tackling Thor into a warm embrace and beginning to cry. His throat was too choked up with emotion for him to get any words out, and all he could do was sob and nod his head, clinging onto Thor tightly.

Thor wrapped his arms around Loki and admittedly teared up a bit too, falling to the floor with the omega in his embrace.

Finally, Loki was able to take in a deep breath, and he nodded eagerly, taking Thor’s face in his hands. “Yes! Yes, a million times yes, I’ll marry you!”

Hearing Loki say yes caused the biggest grin to spread across Thor’s face, and he met Loki for a loving kiss again and again, overjoyed that the omega wanted to marry him and spend the rest of their lives together too.

Loki was practically vibrating with excitement and squealed as he pulled away, hands still holding Thor’s face. “You really want to marry me?”

Thor nodded reassuringly, leaning forward to place another loving kiss against Loki’s lips. “I do.”

Being proposed to this early in the relationship was the last thing Loki ever expected to happen, and he began to cry all over again when he saw how beautiful the ring was. Engagement rings for omega males usually resembled wedding bands and weren’t as flashy or gaudy as the engagement rings for female omegas and beta women.

The ring that Thor picked for him was a delicately designed ring with diamonds encrusted along its surface, each of them woven into a brilliantly intricate pattern that came together perfectly. Thor had even gotten it engraved with “forever and always” on the inside of the ring, and Loki sobbed as the alpha placed the ring on his finger, marveling at it before tackling him into another embrace.

They remained in each other’s arms for what felt like hours, each of them feeling more joyous than they’d ever felt. Knowing that they were taking this big step together was exhilarating, and they wiped at each other’s tears after Loki calmed down, smiling at each other with love and adoration in their gaze.

“I can’t believe you want to marry me!” Wept Loki, wiping at his eyes and grinning. “I’m so happy!”

Thor wiped at his own eyes and laughed, amazed that he actually proposed. “You really want to marry an old man like me?”

Smirking, Loki playfully shoved at Thor, not wanting him to think this. “You’re not that old, Thor.” He placed a reassuring kiss against the alpha’s lips then, draping his arms around his shoulders. “I want to marry you. I want this. I want  _ you _ .”

Hearing Loki tell him this did help Thor feel more secure, and he picked Loki up and shifted him onto his lap, sitting cross-legged on the ground. “Norns, I love you.”

Beaming at the loving statement, Loki leaned forward to kiss Thor again, elated that they were getting married. “How soon do you want to get married?”

“I assume it’ll take quite some time to plan a wedding, so… 6 months from now? Maybe we can get married on our real anniversary?”

This was such a touching idea, and Loki nodded eagerly, already dreaming about the day. “A winter wedding would be lovely.”

The pair grinned at each other and kissed again, giddy beyond belief that they’d taken this step in their relationship and were actually getting married. In 6 months, they’d be joined as one, and then on their wedding night they would bond, and then maybe a few years down the road there’d be children! 

Knowing that Thor would be his and his forever made Loki feel as if he was on top of the world, and he kissed him affectionately again, melting in his warm embrace. “Norns, I’m so happy. We’re really getting  _ married _ . You’re stuck with me!”

Snorting and pinching at Loki’s side, Thor gazed at the man in his lap fondly, knowing that he made the right decision. “The day you smiled up at me after your heat was the day I accepted that I’d always want you by my side. It just took some time for me to figure out how.”

Humming softly, Loki kissed Thor’s lips to reassure him, wanting him to know he understood. “I was willing to wait, Thor. The moment you told me you loved me, I knew I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“And now you can’t,” Chuckled Thor, returning Loki’s kiss. “I’m yours forever now. I’m not leaving.”

“Well, I would certainly hope not,” Snorted Loki, running a hand through Thor’s golden hair. “When do you want to tell everyone? Freyr’s wedding is next week, and we leave for it on Friday.”

Throwing an engagement party before leaving for Freyr’s wedding seemed impossible, but Thor knew that if he called his mother and told her they were engaged, she would have one planned by tomorrow night. “I’m sure my mother would take care of everything. We could always keep it a secret until we returned from his wedding.”

Loki shook his head no, gazing at his lovely ring. “I don’t want to take it off, though. It’s so beautiful and eye-catching.”

It gave a large sense of relief to Thor as he saw Loki gazing at his ring so fondly. “I’m glad you like it. I went to 9 different stores before finally finding the perfect ring.”

Hearing this perked Loki up, and he sat up a bit in Thor’s arms, looking down at the man. “Really? How long have you been planning this?”

“...Honestly? Waking up this morning, knowing that I almost bonded to you… I realized that I didn’t want to spend another moment of my life away from you. You’re precious and loving and everything I’ve always wanted. I couldn’t let you slip away.” He kissed Loki softly. “I wasn’t going to propose till after we returned from the wedding, but I just wanted to secure our relationship before leaving. It was like once I realized I wanted to marry you and be with you forever, I couldn’t wait.”

Smirking, Loki pinched at Thor’s side, causing the alpha to laugh. “Is that why you were so nervous this morning? You didn’t want me to go with you.”

Nodding in embarrassment, Thor laughed again when Loki tickled at his side once more. “You know I’m a terrible liar. Hiding this from you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

Loki planted a loving kiss against Thor’s lips, not wanting him to feel embarrassed. “Well you did it anyway, and I said yes. That’s all that matters.”

Thor returned Loki’s kiss, hands ghosting over the omega’s rear. “I want you to move in with me, Loki.”

Loki found his hands coming to rest on Thor’s broad pecs, marveling at how smooth and chiseled they were beneath his touch. “When?”

He honestly wanted Loki to live with him ASAP, but knew that before they moved in together, they needed to address their work situation, as Loki couldn’t work in their company if they got married. “Maybe when we’re able to find you another job? If we’re planning on getting married in 6 months, then we need to find you another job as soon as possible.”

Hearing this did make Loki sad, but he knew it was something they needed to do. Although he loved his job, he couldn’t be married to Thor and work in the alpha’s corporation. “How soon do you want children?”

Thor’s eyes widened in shock, and he looked down at Loki in confusion, wondering why he jumped to this. “Uh…”

“I asked because if you’re wanting to have a baby soon after getting married, then I am willing to stay at home with them for a year or two.”

Babies were such a big step, and Thor didn’t know if he wanted to have a baby so soon after marrying Loki. “I don’t know if I want kids that soon, Loki. Maybe in 5 years, we can rediscuss it?”

Raising an unamused eyebrow at Thor, Loki shot him a dead-panned look. “Thor, you’re 41. If we have a baby when you’re 46 or 47, you’ll be 64 when our child graduates high school. The average life expectancy for an American male is 70. I don’t want to think about you dying of course, but we have to be realistic. Can you honestly say you want to be 50 while raising a 3-year-old? And then there’s the issue of our grandchildren as well. If we have children within the next two years, then that means you’ll be in our children’s lives longer, and have a greater chance of meeting at least one of your grandchildren.”

Hearing this put many things into perspective for Thor, and he frowned deeply, realizing that he never considered the very real possibility that he could die before seeing his first grandchild. He couldn’t imagine being 50 and having a 3-year-old, or 75 when his child graduated high school. He wanted to be with his children for as long as possible and understood that if he and Loki were going to start a family, they didn’t have much time to wait because of his age. “Norns… you’re absolutely right.”

Loki wasn’t against having kids within the next year, and he’d accepted back when he first started dating Thor that if they ever got married, they would have to have kids very quickly after tying the knot. “It’s not something that we need to decide right this moment, but it is something that needs to be thought about quickly. I want to move in, and I understand that I need to have a new job before we get married, but there’s no point in me finding a new job if I’m going to be pregnant before the year is over.”

Sighing softly, Thor began to rub at the crest of Loki’s hip with his thumb, weighing everything heavily in his mind. The fear of not being alive to meet his first grandchild was very real for him, and it didn’t make sense for Loki to find another job if he was going to be pregnant before the end of the year. “So… we’ll have a baby? When do you want to start trying?”

“Maybe on our honeymoon? I don’t want to be pregnant at our wedding.”

Nodding in agreement, Thor thought through everything they’d just discussed, accepting it all. “When would you like to leave the company? Everyone will find out about us sooner or later. If they find out before you leave, they might revolt and force me to resign.”

Hearing this put a deep-set frown on Loki’s face. “I’ll leave in three months. Once I leave work, my lease on my apartment ends, and I can move in with you. That gives me three months to focus on planning the wedding. Then after getting married, we’ll start trying for a baby, and I’ll return to work when they’re old enough to be in daycare.”

Thor realized that he and Loki never talked about how large they wanted their families to be, and brought it up to the omega. “How many children would you like?”

“Hm… maybe three? No more than four.”

This was something that Thor could work with. “If we have more than one, then our children should probably be as close in age as possible. Knowing that I could be 70 when my child graduates high school scares me, and I want to avoid that reality.”

Loki nodded in agreement, thankful that they were speaking about these important issues. “That brings us back to our earlier point of the engagement party. Should we wait until after Freyr’s wedding? Or try and plan one quickly for tomorrow?”

Throwing an engagement party for tomorrow was so last minute, and Thor didn’t know if everyone could drop everything and come to celebrate their engagement.

“It doesn’t have to be a big party, Thor. Maybe your immediate family and a few of your aunts, uncles, and cousins? And then Freyr and Gerd?”

An intimate engagement party was something that could be done on such short notice, and he was certain that his mother would have half the world invited once she learned they were getting married.

As crazy as it sounded, it would work. “A small, intimate party would be nice. We can throw a larger one when we return from Freyr’s wedding.”

Agreeing with Thor - Frigga’s capabilities as a matriarch were  _ not _ to be questioned - he hugged him closer, craving more contact. He was always more touchy after his heats ended, and getting engaged today only intensified these feelings. “I suppose we should call your mother and let her know.”

Thor wrapped his arms tighter around Loki, craving more contact as well. Proposing to Loki like this had been  _ terrifying _ , but he’d done it, and he knew it was the right decision. Opening himself up again was scary, but… he loved Loki. And he trusted what they had.

And as they pulled out his phone to call his mother, seeing Loki smile and laugh with glee was priceless.

He really loved the omega, and he wanted moments like this to continue forever.

  
  
  
✬⭒✭⭒✮  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this chapter made you smile and laugh just like it did for me! I hope everyone enjoys this holiday season :)


	10. Realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> We're back at it again with a new chapter that I really enjoyed writing, and I hope all of you enjoy it too! 
> 
> Quick note though: In the United States, bachelor and bachelorette parties can get preeeeeeeeeeeetty crazy, so be warned ;)

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Frigga had their engagement party planned before 10 pm that same night. She’d rented out a  _ very _ upscale lounge in the city for the following night, and the guest list was currently at 100. Loki didn’t even  _ know  _ 100 people personally, and was shocked that Frigga was able to throw something together so quickly. Of course, the woman chastised the pair for only giving her a day to plan an engagement party, which put an amused smile on their faces.

She called them with a final update around 11 pm to let them know that there would be 125 people confirmed for attendance, and that if Loki wanted to invite his family, to please give her the names of them all so that they could be added to the guest list.

Frigga and Loki were quite close, and she knew how he felt about his family. He was relieved that she didn’t insist he invite them, as he really didn’t want to. He wanted tomorrow night to be all about him and Thor, and didn’t want anyone there that couldn’t support or love them and their union. 

Thor supported his decision to not invite his family, and as they laid in bed that night, minds whirling from the events of the day, Loki decided that he wanted to discuss some of the thoughts whirling around in his head. “Thor?”

The alpha hummed softly and looked down at Loki, raising an eyebrow up at him. “Is everything okay?”

Shifting to rest more comfortable on Thor’s bare chest, Loki stroked at one of his pecs, running his thumb aimlessly along the smooth skin. “Are you sure you want to marry me?”

Thor frowned deeply, shocked that Loki was doubting himself. “I am  _ certain  _ I want to marry you. Do you feel differently?”

Loki frowned as well, beginning to pull away. “I just… what do I bring to the table? What do I do for you? I’m not rich, I’m younger than you, I have a  _ shit _ family-”

“And you’re amazing and snarky and  _ loving _ and a million and one things that deserve to be respected and appreciated,” Interrupted Thor, not wanting Loki to berate himself. “I don’t care that you’re not rich. I am. I have more than enough money for the both of us, and any children that we have. Your age doesn’t bother me at all, because that’s not why I’m engaged to you. And your family… you can’t control them. You can only control  _ you _ . And that’s all that matters to me.” He reached out and pulled Loki closer, not wanting him to shut down or convince himself that he felt differently. “I love  _ you _ . And I want you to be happy. When you’re happiest, so am I.”

Hearing this admittedly put a soft smile on Loki’s face. “Really?”

Thor always did his best to reassure Loki when he let his anxiety get to him, and this moment was no different. “You are not your family, Loki. And you’re not who they’ve made you out to be. You’re selfless, and  _ I _ love you, and there are many who will agree with me.”

The omega remained silent in his arms, so Thor kept going, not wanting Loki to doubt himself for a second. “Loki, when I woke up this morning, I felt like an idiot for not bonding to you. I laid awake for  _ hours _ , and knew that I couldn’t let you be pushed away by my own fears of commitment. You have been patient, loving, open, and honest with me the  _ entire _ relationship, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. Once I accepted that I didn’t want my fear ruining my life anymore, I spent the  _ entire _ day trying to find the perfect ring for you. They didn’t even have your size when I found the perfect ring, and I paid for them to resize it right then and there, because I didn’t want to wait. I wanted you to know just how much I loved you, as soon as possible.”

Now Loki was blushing, a bashful grin on his face. “I love you too, Thor. Sometimes… sometimes it’s just so hard to believe that I’m not the heathen sinner that my parents have made me out to be.”

“Loki, if you killed people for fun or abused animals, you’d deserve to go to hell. But you don’t do any of those things. You do what makes you happy, you live in a way that you’re proud of, and you’re not hurting anyone. Any god that exists would be proud of that.”

It seemed that Thor always knew what to say to help him feel better, and he wrapped his arms around him tighter, inhaling his comforting scent. “Thank you…”

Thor kissed at his temple, reassuring him further. “You’ve come a long way, Loki. Be proud of yourself and the life you’ve made.”

This resonated with Loki, and he hummed softly, relaxing completely into Thor’s warm side. They sat in comfortable silence for some time before he spoke again, and although saying this made Loki feel uncertain, he knew it was what he wanted to do. “I-I don’t want my parents to know about this. Or to be involved. I-I meant it when I said I wanted nothing to do with them if they couldn’t respect me and love me for who I was. They haven’t apologized for what they did to me to this  _ day _ , and people like that don’t deserve my happiness or my heart.”

Hearing Loki say this and come to this conclusion on his own made Thor feel  _ so  _ proud, and he kissed Loki’s temple again, rubbing at his side. “You are right about that. And I will stand by you. Your heart is precious, and everyone in this world doesn’t deserve to hold it. Even if they are your family.”

Having his fiance support his decision helped him feel more secure about making it, and he relaxed further, the gentle beating of Thor’s heart calming him. Now that they were engaged he really didn’t want to leave Thor’s side, and hated that they wouldn’t move in together until Loki’s lease was up. “I wish I could sleep next to you forever.”

This put a gentle smile on Thor’s face. “Once your lease is up, you’ll move in, and we can spend the rest of our lives together like this.”

That sounded like the best lot in life, and Loki smiled as well, thoughts drifting off to he and Thor’s future. “Thor… if we’re going to have a baby after getting married, we need to move into a real home. I don’t want to raise a child in a penthouse meant for a bachelor.”

Thor had never really considered moving out of his penthouse, and thought on it for a moment, knowing that Loki was right. He needed to work on shifting his focus, as it wasn’t just him anymore. Now it was him and Loki, and pretty soon it would be him, Loki, and a new life that depended on them to show them the way. “We can start looking at homes once we get back from Freyr’s wedding. It might take awhile, so hopefully in the midst of planning for our wedding, we’ll be able to find a home and move in before getting married.”

Talking about their future made Loki feel so  _ giddy _ , and he couldn’t help but let out a joyous laugh, feeling content now that he had everything he’d ever wanted, with the person he’d wanted it all with. “I love you.”

He was a bit more hesitant than Thor to confess this sometimes, but the alpha understood, and felt a surge of satisfaction every time Loki said this to him without it being said first. “I love you too.” Luckily, they both had tomorrow off, so they were able to sleep in, content beyond belief that they were able to wake up in each other’s arms.

Their engagement party wasn’t until 6, so the pair lazed around Thor’s penthouse the entire day, lazy sex sprinkled in throughout it. Now that they were engaged, it seemed like a lot of their walls had fallen, and being together came even easier than it did before. Loki had been glued to the alpha’s side since getting engaged, and he was saddened that they wouldn’t see each other after tonight, until the day of Freyr’s wedding.

Gerd’s bachelorette party week was being held in New York City, so he’d taken off time from work to attend. Freyr’s bachelor party week would be taking place in California, so the pair would literally be on opposite ends of the country until Freyr and Gerd flew to Hawaii to have their wedding.

Loki found himself wondering where he and Thor would have their wedding, since they were planning on getting married in six months, during the winter in November. He wanted it to be someplace special, and decided that he didn’t care as long as they were both fine with wherever they chose.

Getting ready for their engagement party sent a level of elation through him that he hadn’t felt in a long time, and once they arrived to the upscale lounge, Loki couldn’t stop smiling. Thor was confidently holding his hand and introducing him to people as his fiance, and it made him proud, knowing that Thor was this excited too.

Once Frigga spotted the pair she yanked Loki away from Thor and hugged him tightly, overjoyed tears in her eyes. “Norns! I’ve waited so long for this day! I knew you were the one, Loki dear!”

Snorting softly, Loki returned her embrace, politely kissing her cheek. “Thank you for throwing this together on such a short notice, Mrs. Frigga.” He was particularly fond of Thor’s mother, and enjoyed being close with her and Thor’s family. It was nice to feel loved and accepted by his in laws, and he looked forward to becoming part of their family.

Frigga squeezed him tightly before releasing him, unable to stop herself from pinching at his cheek. “Norns, I’m so excited! I’m so happy that I was able to see this day!”

It admittedly made Thor sad to see how excited his engagement made his family, as he knew that this was something they’d been waiting for, for quite some time. He wished that he would’ve gotten married sooner, but was also relieved that he’d waited this long, as it brought him to Loki. “Hello, Mother. It’s nice to see you, too.”

His mother pulled him into her arms next and stretched up to kiss his cheek, a proud smile on her face. “I’m so happy for you, Thor. You’ve made my entire year.”

Thor’s father clasped his shoulder when his mother released him, a gentle smile on his face. “I’m happy for you two. I knew from the moment you introduced Loki to us that he was the one.” Odin hugged Loki next, which surprised him a bit. “You had a monumental task of healing our son’s heart. I couldn’t imagine anyone else standing here tonight with him, besides you. And I’m honored to welcome you into our family, Loki.”

Beaming up at the alpha, Loki nodded, relieved that he was so accepting of their impending marriage. “Thank you, sir.”

After saying goodbye to Thor’s parents, the pair mixed and mingled with their guests, enjoying the night, and the newness that being a freshly engaged couple brought. They’d be leaving for Freyr and Gerd’s bachelor and bachelorette week tomorrow, and wouldn’t see each other again until the day of the wedding.

Partying with Thor and their friends and family tonight left Loki feeling sated and elated, and once the night ended he found that he couldn’t stop smiling. He was content, more content than he’d ever been, and he was finally sharing it with the man he knew he was meant to.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor admittedly missed Loki while they were seperated. After spending the three days of the omega’s heat together, plus the night of their engagement party, he was loathe to part from Loki’s side, and didn’t deny that he was being grouchy. Everything in him  _ screamed _ to be with Loki more, but he understood that he needed to tuck that part of himself away for now. This was Freyr’s week, and Thor wanted to be there for his best friend, however he needed him. 

“You look so upset, Thor.”

Glaring up at Freyr, Thor’s frown deepened, and he couldn’t hold himself back from grunting. “I’m not upset.”

The alpha had an amused smirk on his face, and sat down next to Thor on the plane, beginning to tease him. “You’re just missing Loki?”

This put a terrible blush on Thor’s face, and he fought back a smile, laughing when Freyr continued to tease him. “You know, I’ve never seen you like this, Thor. I’m genuinely happy that you’ve found the person your ready to spend the rest of your life with.”

Turning in his seat to face Freyr, Thor sighed, wanting to apologize. “I’m sorry if I sullied the mood of the flight. I want this week to be all about you, Freyr.”

“And I’m sure it will be,” began his friend, choosing his words carefully. “But I want you to know that I’m very happy for you. After Jane… I was terrified that you would never allow yourself to feel like this again. But knowing that you’ve opened your heart up again, Thor, is the best wedding gift I could’ve received.”

Thor widened his eyes, genuinely touched by the statement. “Freyr…”

“I mean this, Thor. You’re my best friend, and seeing how cheery you’ve been since Loki entered your life has made me feel better and more content too. And I can’t wait to participate in your wedding, and return the favor.”

Freyr was always more intune with his emotions than Thor was, and the alpha appreciated it at times, as it kept their relationship strong. “I want you to be my best man.”

The biggest grin spread across Freyr’s face, and he laughed heartily, clasping Thor’s shoulder. “Of course! I don’t know what you’ve planned for me, but I will do my absolute best to return the favor.”

Hearing this eased a part of Thor’s heart, and he relaxed, feeling much better about the prospect of getting married. “I’m happy too.”

“Have you both spoken about starting a family? I know that’s not something you want…”

In the past, this was absolutely true. Thor wanted  _ nothing _ to do with children, and it was why he was so adamant about Loki being on some form of birth control. Unplanned children were  _ not _ something he wanted to deal with up until he met Loki, and after spending the day in bed, thinking about beginning a family with Loki, he realized that he did want to start a family with the omega. Of course, because of his age, they would have to get started fairly quick, but… he’d waited long enough. He was ready.

“We have. I really love him, Freyr, and… thinking of our family expanding puts a fond smile on my face. We’ve agreed to start trying after our wedding, so… you’ll be an uncle quite soon.”

Freyr had the  _ proudest _ smile on his face, and Thor couldn’t help but smile too, relieved that his friend was proud of this news. “Norns, Thor! That’s amazing! You’re really open to starting a family?”

He nodded, knowing how out of character it sounded. “I know I’ve been against it my whole life, but… Loki wants children, and I want him to be happy. The thought of our family growing makes me smile, and I realized that I wanted children too. I’m old enough and have more than enough money to care for them, and I’ve waited long enough.”

“Norns! Thor, I swear I am so excited right now. You’ve literally made my entire week! I don’t think I was this excited when Gerd said yes!”

Thor snorted at the comment, rolling his eyes. “Don’t let Gerd hear that.”

Freyr laughed as well, a gentle smile on his face. “I am happy for you, Thor. And I’m excited that we get to embark on this next phase of our lives together.”

He couldn’t agree more, and greeted the flight attendant when she approached them, accepting his drink. Freyr was the only other person besides Loki in his life that he cherished this fiercely, so to hear that Freyr was proud of him, truly meant a lot.

Although he was sad that he wouldn’t be seeing Loki for a week, Thor told himself that he would make this week the best bachelor week of Freyr’s life.

His friend  _ truly  _ deserved it.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

To nobody’s surprise, Freyr’s bachelor week had been a  _ blast _ .

Thor wasn’t holding anything back, and paid the expenses for everyone, wanting them all to let loose and truly enjoy the week. They saw just about everything that California had to offer, and spent every night partying harder than they had in  _ years _ , waking up the next morning just to do it all over again.

The final night of Freyr’s bachelor week -and the night before his wedding- found Freyr’s entourage at a well-known strip club in Hawaii, ready to celebrate the man’s last night of “freedom”. Thor hadn’t been to a strip club in  _ years _ , but didn’t mind going to one tonight. As long as he was with friends, they were quite fun, and he enjoyed seeing the omegas in various states of undress, just like any other alpha. He’d arranged for Freyr to get the club’s “premium” service tonight, and kept him in the dark about it, refusing to answer any of his questions.

Arriving at the club around 10 pm, Thor found himself laughing when he realized how annoying the booming of the music was. He was getting so  _ old _ . His friend elbowed at him when he saw Thor grimace, a knowing smirk on his face. “You’re getting a bit too old for environments like this, Thor.”

“I think you’re right about that,” Laughed Thor, leading them all into the club. A scantily clad omega woman met him once they entered the building, her sky-high stilettos making her almost as tall as him. “Hi! You must be the Odinson party!”

“You bet your hot ass we are!” Shouted a member of their entourage, causing everyone to snort and shove at him playfully. Rolling his eyes in amusement, Thor made a mental note to keep a watch on that alpha, and answered the omega. “Yes. I reserved a room for us.”

Winking at Thor, the omega grabbed his hand and interlaced their fingers, beginning to lead him to their room. “You must be the proud bachelor. I can’t wait to dance for you.”

He laughed and disentangled himself from her politely, following her across the club. “Not tonight. The bachelor is this lovely man right here,” He answered, pulling Freyr next to him. “Do  _ whatever _ you want to him. I paid for your premium service.”

“Oh, we’ll have  _ lots  _ of fun, Mr. Bachelor,” Purred the omega, biting her lower lip.

Freyr shot Thor a shocked look as he was pulled into a large, private room, his eyes wide in disbelief. “W-What did you pay for, Thor?”

“You’ll find out in a few short minutes, cutie.” Answered the woman, leading Freyr over to a throne that sat right in front of the main pole of the stage in this room. “Why don’t you sit here, hun? I’ll be right back with Angel and Cupcake.”

Freyr’s entourage of 13 alphas and betas piled into the room and sat down on the plush seats surrounding the stage, whistling when three strippers with drink platters entered the room. One of the platters was filled with shots, and one of the omegas began to pass them out to everyone, wanting to get the party started.

Thor took his shot graciously and threw back a second one quickly after it, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to let loose like this again for quite some time. Freyr’s friends cheered and whooped loudly when Freyr threw back three shots in succession, and the lights in the room dimmed shortly after, even more omegas filing into the room when the laser system turned on and began to beam various colors around the room.

Loud music signaled the beginning of the show, and everyone cheered again as the omegas made their way onto the stage, beginning to twirl and dance to the music, using the poles to guide them. Thor admittedly enjoyed their performance, and slipped a five dollar bill into the g-string of a female omega when she leaned back from the stage and tore off her top.

Three of the omegas on stage walked off and strutted to Freyr in the middle of their dance sequence, who began to laugh when one of them began to dance for him. The other two omegas ran their hands along his body and ruffled his hair, taking his hands and encouraging him to fondle them and pinch or slap their asses.

The omega dancing for Freyr had  _ very _ large breasts, and shook them playfully in his face, causing the man to blush deeply when she encouraged him to squeeze them.

It was nice being able to enjoy spending time with Freyr and the alpha’s friends, and Thor admittedly got drunk faster than he expected, the lasers, smoke, and music all coming together to make the time go by in a blur.

He knew he dropped a few hundred on some of the omegas here tonight - he had more than enough money to do so, and didn’t mind letting go tonight - joining in on the festivities and fun games that the strippers had them play.

Of course, he didn’t accept the advances of the omegas that were hinting they wanted to see him outside of work, as he  _ was _ engaged. He loved Loki too much to throw away what they had over a drunken romp.

His eyes happened to drunkenly lock with a male omega across the room, and the man winked at him as he made his way over, settling himself nicely in Thor’s lap. “I don’t see a ring on your finger. Why don’t we have some fun?” The omega was  _ very _ alluring, but in Thor’s mind Loki was far more alluring and tempting than anyone on this earth. “I’m afraid you’re a bit too late. I’m engaged.”

Hearing this put a smirk on the omega’s face, and he continued to dance for Thor, his fingers getting dangerously low to the zipper of Thor’s pants. “She doesn’t have to know.”

Gently moving his hand away, Thor straightened up, handing the man a few fives to continue dancing. “Him not knowing isn’t the problem. I love him too much to have a night of passion with a stranger.”

“Well he’s certainly a lucky guy,” commented the stripper, shifting his g-string to the side to see if he could tempt Thor one last time. “If you change your mind handsome, ask for Kyle Roxxen. I’d be happy to rock your world for a night or two.”

Thor shifted a bit in his seat, trying to will his growing erection away. “ As alluring as you are, I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your offer.” He slipped a few more fives into the omega’s g-string as he finished his dance, pointing over at one of Freyr’s handsome, single friends. “He is single though, so if you’re looking to get lucky tonight, he might be willing.”

The omega winked at Thor one last time before strutting away, and Thor couldn’t even take a breath before the next stripper was dancing on him. Being around so many attractive people in this state of undress did turn Thor on in his drunken state, but all of them paled in comparison to Loki. Just  _ thinking _ of the omega’s body sent a fierce blush across his face, and he bemoaned the fact that he wouldn’t be seeing him until the wedding tomorrow.

Now that he had Loki on his mind, the omega was all Thor could think about, and he tried his best to focus in on the party, wanting to make sure it was a good experience for Freyr. The alpha was  _ wasted _ beyond comparison, and could barely keep his head up. 

Even though he was drunk, he was still responsible for Freyr as his best man, and stood up on unsteady legs to go ask an attendant for rounds of water. The  _ last  _ thing anyone needed was Freyr to have a massive hangover on his wedding day.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki admittedly enjoyed the spa day that Gerd’s maid of honor planned for them on the final day of her bachelorette week, and was shocked to hear that she’d even invited a few alpha strippers over. Gerd didn’t know about them of course, so Loki and the rest of the omegas and betas kept this a secret, enjoying their night out on the town.

They arrived back to their hotel suite around 11, and were tipsy enough to enjoy any party games that Gerd’s Maid of Honor had planned for them. She sat them all down in the living room and made some space for the strippers, which confused Gerd.

The omega sipped at her mixed drink and raised an eyebrow at her, wondering why she was reorganizing everything. “Why are you moving the furniture, Jess?”

Jess smirked at her, finally finished making enough room. “You’ll see, hun.”

Gerd turned on Loki next, hoping that he would tell her. “Do  _ you _ know what she’s planned, Loki?”

Loki was very proud of his poker face, and shook his head, sipping at his mixed drink. “I don’t, unfortunately.” There were 13 people in Gerd’s bridal party as well, and they all began to laugh when Gerd questioned them, their lips remaining sealed. 

Loud knocking at the door made them all squeal and laugh harder, and Gerd’s Maid of Honor laughed deviously, winking at Gerd. “I think that’s our entertainment!”

Gerd burst out into a fit of laughter when Jess said this, immediately understanding. “I thought I said no strippers!”

“Oh, no one ever means that!” Called out a bridal party member, which made them all laugh harder. Gerd’s friends were nice people, and Loki enjoyed hanging out with them. They were really down to earth, and being around them was a nice change of pace. He really did need to work on making friends of his own.

Two alpha men dressed in scrubs and facemasks entered the living room then, and everyone cheered when one of them took off his face mask, revealing how handsome he was underneath. “I heard one of you lucky omegas is giving away your heart forever. I just hope you let us hold it for a final time.”

Everyone cheered again as the alphas tore off their scrubs to reveal their short shorts and ripped muscles, and Loki found himself swooning over the display, appreciating how sexy they were. 

Music began to play then, and everyone clapped and whistled when one of the alphas made his way towards Gerd and began to dance on her, taking her hands and having her feel his rock-solid abs underneath.

Gerd squealed and began to laugh as the other alpha began to dance for her too, an embarrassed blush on her cheeks. “I can’t believe you guys did this!”

“Believe it sweetheart,” answered a stripper, taking Gerd’s hand and putting it on his crotch. “You’re ours for tonight.”

Everyone screamed in delight when the alphas picked Gerd up from her chair, watching them dry hump and grind against her to the beat of the music.

Gerd was as red as a tomato now, and fanned at her face when the strippers flipped her around expertly, losing herself in a fit of laughter.

After giving Gerd heaps of attention, the alphas let her go and continued to dance, looking out amongst them all. “Who else wants to share their heart with us tonight?”

“Loki’s newly engaged! Dance with him!” Shouted a member of their group, causing Loki to take in a sharp breath. His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates when an alpha took his hand and kissed it, a seductive smirk on his face. “Looks like it’s your turn, Loki.”

He began to laugh and protested, but everyone started to chant for him to do it, so he gave in, gasping when the alpha grabbed hold of his waist and flipped him upside down, his  _ humongous _ member suddenly in Loki’s face. This stripper was handling him so effortlessly, and it admittedly  _ did _ turn him on to be molded like this.

Of course, being danced on and seeing their bodies only made him think of Thor, and he blushed as he imagined Thor doing something like this for him. Of course, it might take some coaxing, but the idea of Thor doing a striptease for him and handling him like these strippers were was too enticing of an idea to give up on. He’d have to work his magic on Thor.

The strippers ceased their merciless teasing of him a few minutes later, so Loki downed a few shots after their performance, beside himself with embarrassment. 

Gerd’s Maid of Honor only paid for an hour, so after dancing with everyone present, and collecting their money, the alphas bid them all goodbye, wishing Gerd an amazing wedding day.

Once they were gone and all the guests were nicely drunk, Jess pulled out a naughty card game from a bag of sex toys and genital shaped candy, passing out penis-shaped lollipops. “Who’s ready to play?”

Loki gathered around with everyone else and began to laugh when Jess picked up a card and read it. “Whoever has slept with the most people at once gets to go first. If you’ve slept with more than 2 people at the same time, raise your hand.” Nervously raising his hand, Loki was relieved yet surprised to see that half the party raised their hands too. 

“Oh, you all are so  _ naughty _ ! How many of you have slept with more than 3 people at once?”

Loki’s hand remained up, and he blushed when just his hand and another omega’s hand stayed raised. The group whooped and hollered at the pair, and Jess grinned, upping the number. “Have either of you slept with 5 people or more, at the same time?” As expected, Loki’s hand was the only one raised, and everyone gasped, beginning to beg him for the details.

It embarrassed him to share it, but he was drunk, and ended up spilling the story anyway. “I was raised in a very strict, religious family. When I left for college, I admittedly went crazy with the freedom I had.” It made him a bit sad to remember his past and how lost he’d been back then, but he pushed those thoughts aside, not wanting to sully the mood of the night. “Of course, I went a little  _ too _ crazy at times, but they all make for some amusing memories.”

Jess pulled a card for him and handed it over, clapping her hands with excitement. “Alright, what does it say? If you don’t do whatever it says, you have to do something that  _ we _ come up with.”

Those were both equally bad options, so Loki gulped, reading his card out aloud. “Perform your best fellatio technique on your lollipop.” He gasped as soon as he finished reading it, shaking his head and laughing. “Absolutely not!”

Gerd waggled her eyebrows at him, reminding him of the rules. “If you don’t do it, you have to do whatever dare we come up with.”

“I’m not giving this penis shaped lollipop fellatio.”

Drumming her fingers on her lap, Gerd grinned darkly, already thinking of the perfect dare. “Call Thor and tell him how much you love his cock, on  _ speaker _ .”

Now this was  _ impossibly  _ embarrassing, but Loki would rather do this than sexually suck on a lollipop in front of the party. “Fine!”

The group cheered drunkenly as Loki pulled out his phone, and watched him call Thor. The alpha picked up on the second ring, and answered Loki, sounding worried. “Loki? Is everything alright?”

Stifling their giggles, the group urged Loki to say it, and he burst out in laughter, overcome with embarrassment. “I wanted you to know that I love your cock.”

“...What?”

Loki snorted along with everyone else and repeated himself, an amused smile on his face. “I love your cock.”

“Tell him why you love it!” shouted another party member, which earned him snickers across the whole group. 

Seemingly catching on, Thor cleared his throat, deciding to play along. “I would like to hear why you love it too, Loki.”

Loki was past the point of embarrassment now, and readily accepted another shot, throwing it back and wiping at his lips before answering. “Your cock was literally  _ made _ for me, and every time you force it down my throat and I choke, I love it.” The group  _ screamed _ in delight and amusement once he said this, and Loki laughed too, fully aware that Thor knew what he was doing. “They made me call and tell you this, Thor.”

The alpha was laughing too, obviously finding the entire situation funny. “Enjoy your night, love. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Thanking him and hanging up, Loki glared at the bridal party, pretending to be mad. “All of you are terrible.” This caused the group to burst into laughter again, and Loki laughed along with them, truly enjoying himself. He didn’t know enough people closely to throw a bachelorette party for himself, so he tried to enjoy Gerd’s, and let loose that night, having more fun than he’d had in years.

He’d been holding himself back a lot in life, and pretending that he was okay with it. But accepting Thor’s marriage proposal, and being present in this moment with Gerd and her friends made Loki feel as if he was tired of lying to himself, and not living his life. He really wanted to live for himself, and… and he was tired of not allowing himself to be happy.

Loki just didn’t want to pretend anymore.

✬⭒✭⭒✮


	11. Acceptance

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor was the first one to wake up the day of Freyr’s wedding, and as Best Man, it was his job to make sure every groomsman was prepared and ready to go by 12. Freyr and Gerd were getting married on a nice beach at 1, and he knew that Gerd would have his  _ head _ if he didn’t get everyone out to the beach on time.

Rounding up the hungover alphas and betas was easier said than done, and threats to leave them behind if they weren’t ready by 12 seemed to be the only thing that got them to dress quickly. Headache pills were passed around, and Pedialyte was consumed by the gallon it seemed, everyone coming together to combat the nausea and headache from their partying the previous night so that they could get to the wedding.

Thankfully, everyone was out the suite doors by 12 and on the way to the beach, helping with last minute organization and setting up the chairs for the ceremony. Around 1, when all the guests had arrived, the bridal party began to make their way down the aisle, and Loki winked when he and Thor locked eyes, happy to see each other. 

Gerd was the final one to make it down the alter, and everyone gasped once they saw how beautiful and radiant she looked- her gorgeous dress billowing in the wind. It was a  _ perfect _ day for a beach wedding, with the sun not too harsh and a gentle breeze rolling through. The water was as pristine as Loki had ever seen it; the sand clear and white.

Seeing Freyr tear up when his eyes met with Gerd’s admittedly made Thor tear up too, and he grinned, feeling overwhelming happiness for his friend. Freyr and Gerd only had eyes for each other in this moment, and watching them come together was like magic.

The officiant greeted the pair once Gerd made it to the front of the altar and began the ceremony, pleased to see that the couple was so elated to be getting married. After reciting their personal vows, and agreeing to be together until death caused them to part, they kissed- sealing their union as the bride and groom.

The crowd cheered and clapped for the newlywed couple, and stood, following them to a resort on the beach, where the reception would be. They’d rented out a room for 300 people and because Loki and Thor were both wedding party members, they sat at the front.

Seeing Loki so happy made Thor think of their upcoming wedding, and he couldn’t help but kiss the omega’s cheek once they finally managed to be alone, slipping out to a private hallway outside the reception room. “Norns, I missed you.”

Loki laughed softly and blushed, not stopping Thor when he pulled him even closer. “I missed you too, honestly. We’ll have to have a spectacular reunion tonight.”

Reaching to grab at Loki’s rear, Thor pressed a flurry of kisses against his neck, causing the omega to squawk in surprise. “Why wait until tonight?”

“I’m not fucking you at your best friend’s wedding, Thor.” Huffed Loki, beginning to get embarrassed. “I haven’t had bathroom sex in  _ years _ , and I don’t plan on having it now.”

Nipping at Loki’s scent glands, Thor pulled away, knowing that today was all about Freyr and Gerd. “I wish I would’ve bonded to you during your heat, Loki.”

Hearing this made Loki’s gaze soften, and he reached up to hold Thor’s face, not wanting him to feel guilty. “We’ll bond soon enough. This will be us in 6 months, so we don’t have to wait much longer.”

Thor couldn’t help but lean over and press another soft kiss against Loki’s scent glands. “... Do we have to wait until the wedding to bond?”

Blinking rapidly in surprise, Loki pulled back so that he could stare at Thor. “I suppose we don’t… when were you wanting to bond?”

“Tonight?”

A  _ fierce _ blush spread across Loki’s face then, and he found himself nodding, knowing that nothing in him could ever go against a request of Thor’s. “I meant it when I told you that if you wanted to bond to me, I want to bond to you. And… and if you feel that tonight is the night, then… I will gladly bond with you. I know that it’s unusual to bond before marriage, but I don’t care.” He looked shyly up at Thor then. “Do you?”

Shaking his head, Thor pulled Loki closer, not wanting the omega to doubt him. “I don’t care, Loki. I mean I do  _ care _ , as I want to bond to you, but I don’t care what anyone else has to say. As long as you love me, and I love you, and we make a decision together, then… that’s all that matters.”

The sweetest smile spread across Loki’s face then, and he kissed Thor lovingly, reassured about bonding with him. “Of course.”

The pair knew it was time to get back to the party, so they left the hallway that they were in and headed back into the reception hall. They ended up returning right as the food was being passed out, and his steak was  _ delectable _ . Thor found that he quickly devoured his meal, thoughts of bonding to Loki tonight making him feel impossibly giddy.

Speeches came soon after the meal was over, and because he was the best man, Thor spoke first. He’d been planning his best man speech ever since Freyr asked him to be his best man, and cleared his throat, looking out at everyone. 

“Hello, everyone. For those of you that don’t know me, I am Thor, one of Freyr’s oldest and closest friends. And I am honored to be here tonight, to share this moment with him. Gerd is a wonderful woman, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else being by his side.”

This earned him a soft smile from the pair, so Thor continued, locking eyes with Freyr. “My earliest memory of Freyr was back in Kindergarten, when he was crying because he accidentally tore his favorite flower out of the ground.” The guests laughed at this, and Thor did too, thinking back fondly on that day. “Many of you know just how in touch with his emotions Freyr can be, and I honestly believe that this is his greatest strength.”

“Freyr was there for me at a time in my life where I was most vulnerable, and he brought me out of my darkest pit. He has been there for me time and time again, and has always offered me invaluable wisdom. He’s the reason I choose to do many of the things that I do, and he is an inspiration to me. Standing here as his best man, I couldn’t be prouder. Freyr deserves to have all the good that has ever happened and will ever happen, and knowing that I can call him my friend means so much to me. Freyr, you’re an awesome guy, and I know you’ll be an even greater husband and father. I wish you nothing but the best.”

Everyone cheered after Thor’s speech, and Freyr rushed to stand, pulling Thor in his arms, and hugging him. Thor usually wasn’t so open with his emotions, but hugged Freyr back tightly, tears in his eyes. Freyr truly meant a lot to him, and to stand here as his best man meant everything to him. 

Sniffing, Freyr pulled back, and Thor couldn’t help but laugh when he saw that Freyr was crying too. “I meant everything I said, Freyr. You’re a good person, and you’re an even better friend.”

The smile Freyr shot him spoke a thousand words, and Thor returned it, clasping his friend on the shoulder. “Now stop crying. This is a happy day!”

Snorting softly, Freyr wiped at his eyes, nodding in agreement. “You’re right about that.”

The pair smiled again at each other before Thor reached out to hug Gerd, and sat back down at his table once he released her, almost melting when Loki reached out to rub his thigh. “That was a wonderful speech, Thor.”

Thor placed his hand on top of Loki’s and nodded, wiping at his eyes. “Freyr really means a lot to me. He’s a good man.” Seeing Thor so emotional was heartwarming for Loki, and it made the omega elated, as it was always nice to see Thor being open and vulnerable with his emotions.

Freyr’s wedding was a spectacular event, and Thor enjoyed himself thoroughly, mingling with the guests and taking a million and one photos with everyone. He couldn’t believe that six months ago, Loki wasn’t his and they weren’t together officially. Things had changed so  _ quickly _ between them, and as he watched Loki enjoy himself throughout the evening, he couldn’t help but thank the Norns that things played out the way they did. If he’d never asked Loki to pretend to date him, then they never would’ve ended up together officially and he would’ve been the same lonely man he’d always been.

Thankfully he’d quickly realized the blessing that Loki was, and grinned when he saw Loki showing off his ring to his family and friends, feeling satisfied with where they were. In six short months they’d be throwing a wedding of their own, and then they’d start their family, and they’d begin a new life together.

And he was finally ready for it.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

The party didn’t wind down until 6, so around that time Loki and Thor bid the happy couple a goodbye, heading up to their room in the resort. They were both looking forward to enjoying the weekend together before having to return to work Monday, and were eagerly looking forward to bonding tonight.

Knowing that he would also be bonding to Thor tonight was exciting, and although he felt nervous about doing so, he knew that this was a step he wanted to take with Thor. Bonding in their society usually didn’t happen until the couple married, and the more religious groups in their world believed that it was morally unjust to bond to someone you weren’t married to. He brushed those thoughts aside though, knowing that all that mattered was him and Thor being happy. 

After showering and dressing in comfortable nightwear, the pair retired to the bedroom in the suite, wanting to relax off of their feet. They partied hard last night and for the entirety of the day, so they were each admittedly exhausted. The  _ second _ Thor climbed into bed, Loki dragged him over to his side, and settled himself in his arms, content with how things were. “Norns, I missed you.”

Laughing softly, Thor pulled Loki closer and kissed his temple, a comforting warmth radiating between them. “I missed you too. You were all I thought about this week.”

“Even when you were at the strip club?” Joked Loki, wagging his eyebrows playfully at Thor.

“ _ Especially _ when I was at the strip club,” Assured the alpha, not wanting Loki to worry. “Seeing them only reminded me of how much I was missing you.”

This was touching to hear, and Loki kissed Thor’s scent glands gently, wanting him to know he wasn’t worried. “Did you have fun with Freyr and his friends, at least?”

“We did. It was nice to forget about work and life, and just enjoy being together.” He looked down at Loki then, smiling softly when their eyes met. “And you?”

“It was nice,” Admitted the omega, looking away bittersweetly. “It was nice to let go as well, and to be around so many people for a joyous occasion, but… it made me a bit sad to realize that I’ve made it so that I don’t have friends and people in my life to uplift me and support me. I probably won’t be able to have such a large wedding party when we get married, as I’m not really close to anyone besides you.”

Thor didn’t want Loki to feel guilty, and kissed his temple again, hoping to reassure him. “Let’s turn over a new leaf. We’ll do our best to get out more, and be more friendly with people. And for our wedding, it doesn’t have to be a large, grand event, Loki. As long as you and my family are there, I don’t care where or how it happens.”

This put a soft smile on Loki’s face. “I don’t want a grand event either, Thor. Something small and intimate would mean more to me.”

“Then we’ll plan a smaller, intimate event. Of course, I’m not sure about my mother agreeing with it, but I’ll do my best to convince her to not make an outrageous guest list.”

Loki thought about how Frigga had managed to get their guest list to 125 for their engagement party in just a  _ day _ , and laughed, knowing that their guest list would be even larger for their wedding if she had anything to do with it. 

Gently pinching at Loki’s hip to get his attention, Thor pulled him a bit closer, wanting to bring up the issue of them bonding. “If you would like to wait until the night of our wedding to bond, like tradition, then we can do that. I don’t want you to feel as if you’re being coerced into bonding with me. I promise that I’m not going anywhere.”

Shaking his head, Loki shifted to look up at Thor, not wanting him to think this. “I don’t mind, Thor. I want to be connected to you however I can. I-I meant it when I told you that whenever you wanted to bond, we would bond. I really love you, and I want us to take this next step, together.” He stretched up to kiss Thor then, hoping to reassure him. “I know you’re not going anywhere. And that doesn’t change how I feel about bonding to you.”

Wrapping his arms around Loki, Thor pulled the omega onto him, nestling into his scent glands. “I love you too.”

Loki relaxed in Thor’s touch and angled his neck, revealing it proudly to Thor. He knew it would hurt initially, but the pain would quickly become blissful, and they’d be united together as one.

Licking along the length of Loki’s scent glands, Thor made sure to cover the area completely, wanting to prevent as much of the pain as possible. Alphas could produce a numbing saliva for the bonding moment, and Thor liberally produced it, as he didn’t want Loki to suffer.

When he felt that the area was coated sufficiently, he pulled Loki closer and tilted the omega’s head, completely revealing his neck and sinking his incisors into him. Loki shuddered from the pain and bit a lower lip to stifle his cries, but otherwise remained silent and still, wanting Thor to fully complete the bonding bite.

Their inherent pheromones were distributed amongst them, and Thor inhaled deeply, loving the smell of he and Loki’s combined scents. This would be the scent that their children carried until they married and bonded themselves, and it would be the scent that Thor and Loki now carried as well. They were one in every sense of the word, and Thor felt the exact moment that the pain turned blissful for Loki, the omega going lax in his hold and moaning lowly.

He continued to keep his teeth in place until he and Loki’s scents melded into a scent that was uniquely their own, and released his partner slowly, pulling him closer into his arms. 

Loki collapsed on top of him and shivered, still reeling from the bite. He felt light-headed and almost delirious but was relieved that they were bonded. He would never regret bonding to Thor before marrying him, and weakly wrapped his arms around him, inhaling their new scent. “ _ Norns…” _

Grinning proudly, Thor ran a soothing hand up and along Loki’s side, hoping to calm him. “Are you alright?”

Nodding weakly, Loki opened his eyes, a tired smile on his face. “We’re bonded…”

Bonding was always more taxing on the omega than the alpha, so Thor hummed softly, hoping to lull Loki to sleep. “Why don’t you try and sleep, Loki? I know that was hard on you.” Bonding would leave Loki tired for about 24 hours, as Thor’s pheromones worked on fusing with his. It would rewrite Loki’s scent forever, so that when they had children, their children would be born with their combined scent.

Making a soft sound, Loki closed his eyes again and dozed off, feeling impossibly weak. And Thor watched him until he felt himself grow tired as well. Loki always looked so peaceful while he slept, and Thor found that he could watch him for hours, seeing Loki’s serene face causing him to fall even deeper in love. The pair drifted in and out of sleep the entire night, enjoying the comforting embrace of each other, and their newly formed bond. 

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki was as radiant as he’d ever been when he returned to work on Monday. He’d spent the night at Thor’s penthouse once they returned, and had a nagging feeling that he would end up spending all of his time there anyway. His lease  _ did _ still have two and a half months left, and while he very well could break the lease agreement and pay off the remaining months - he still had a  _ lot _ of the 80k that Thor gave to him - he didn’t want to waste his money. 

The idea of living with Thor though was more tempting… maybe he’d bring the idea up to the alpha when they talked later tonight. Thoughts of moving in together aside, Loki knew he needed to throw himself into his work, as he’d taken a pretty lengthy vacation.

Natalie grinned up at him as he made his way into their cubicle, immediately noticing his fresh bondmark. “Looks like someone had an amazing week.”

Loki blushed and sat down at his desk, quite proud to show off his bondmark. “I certainly did.” Now that they were bonded, Loki felt closer to Thor than he’d ever imagined, and knowing that their scents were forever intertwined gave him a sense of completeness that he’d been searching for his entire life. He knew that he and Thor hadn’t been together long enough to warrant this, but he didn’t care. They loved and trusted each other, and that was all that mattered.

They were  _ content _ .

Svadilfari and Angrboda narrowed their eyes as they took in Loki’s fresh bondmark, and Svadilfari seemed extremely disappointed, unable to keep his eyes off of Loki. “I guess you were serious about dating someone.” He laughed bitterly then and turned back to face his desk, obviously dismayed. “Congratulations.”

Loki found that he didn’t care about Svadilfari being this disappointed, and grinned proudly, knowing that this would deter the alpha from any attempts to flirt with him. “Thank you, Svadilfari.”

Clearing his throat, Angrboda caught Loki’s attention, admittedly making him feel nervous. “Congratulations, Loki…”

He frowned slightly, as he was still very uncomfortable around the beta. “Thank you.” Angrboda continued to stare at him forlornly, and this made him feel even more uncomfortable. The beta was acting as if he and Loki were lovers that had recently broken up, and he  _ hated _ being put in this situation.

The mood of the cubicle was despondent the whole day, and once it was over Loki  _ rushed _ to leave, making a beeline to his car and driving over to Thor’s place. Thor had already let him know that he’d be home late, so Loki made himself comfortable, cooking a healthy yet tasteful dinner for them after doing some relaxing evening yoga.

Tonight  _ would’ve _ been spent at his monthly family dinners, but he refused to attend, as his family had not apologized to him. They still sent him snarky and rude text messages every once and awhile, but he ignored them, as he’d done every day since his brothers came to see him. Thor’s love, as well as his love for himself, was more than enough to protect and hold his heart right now, and he didn’t want to surround himself with a family that only brought him down and made him feel worthless. 

Around 7:30, Loki got a call from his mother, and he debated about answering it for sometime before letting it go to voicemail. He didn’t want to speak to the man, and casually read through the explosive texts, refusing to allow himself to get upset. He knew he wasn’t crazy, and knew that his family was in the wrong.

His mother continued to call him though, so he begrudgingly answered, putting the phone on speaker. “Hello?”

“Loki! How  _ dare _ you ignore me! I am your  _ mother! _ You-”

“Did you call me just to scream at me?”

He almost laughed at the indignant huff that came from his mother. “You make me like this, Loki! I swear, I had the most relaxing day, and when you didn’t show up for dinner it  _ ruined _ my whole day! Stop ignoring your family!”

Falling back onto Thor’s plush couch, Loki sighed, debating about just hanging up on his mother. “The last time Helblindi and Byleistr came over, Helblindi told me that he didn’t care about me anymore, and that if I ended up homeless, he wanted nothing to do with me. Why would I want to speak to you all if that’s the energy you’re giving me?”

His mother was ready to explode by this point. “Loki! That isn’t the point! Why do you only care about what everyone else does?! You never focus on the wrong you do! That’s why-”

“If you’re just going to yell at me and tell me how terrible I am, I’m going to hang up.”

“Loki!”

“What?!” Snapped Loki, losing his patience. “Do you want to stay on the phone with someone who tells you that you’re a terrible person every time you talk to them? Because I don’t. I’m trying to enjoy my engagement, and you’re ruining my day.”

His mother went deathly quiet then. “...He proposed to you?”

Loki didn’t know where his mother was going with this. “He did. We’re getting married.”

He could hear his mother begin to tear up. “And you didn’t  _ tell _ me?! How long have you been engaged?! I can’t believe that-”

“If all of you had been kinder to me, then I would’ve told all of you. But you weren’t. I’m really happy, and I refuse to let you ruin my day or my engagement. I’m ending the call.”

“Wait, Loki!”

Loki paused, deciding to hear his mother out.

“Let’s at least throw a traditional engagement party. I want to meet Thor’s family.”

Loki did  _ not _ like the sound of this. At  _ all _ . “I will ask Thor’s mother if this is something she’d be willing to do. I will update you by the end of this week.” He heard his mother sniff, and sighed, frustrated with the entire situation. “I need to eat dinner, Mom. I’ll call you by the end of the week with an update.”

He didn’t wait to hear his response and hung up, collapsing back further onto the couch.  _ “Fuck.” _

A heavenly scent filled his nostrils then, and Loki grinned as Thor entered the room, his mood immediately lifting. “Hey.”

Making his way over to Loki, Thor met him for a kiss, running a calming hand through his hair. “I came home in the middle of the conversation. I didn’t want to interrupt you.”

Frowning slightly, Loki closed his eyes, kissing Thor again. “He knows about our engagement, and wants to have a traditional engagement party with your family.”

This was the last thing Thor wanted to do, but he knew that if Loki wanted to do this, then he would. “This is your decision, Loki. If you want to do this, then I’ll talk to my mother.”

Loki really didn’t want to, but it did shake him up to hear his mother tear up over the phone. He wasn’t crazy enough to think that his mother had completely turned over a new leaf, but… maybe they’d be slightly better if he did this. “...If your mother is willing, I would like her and your father and brothers to meet with them for a traditional engagement party.”

He and Thor stared off before Thor nodded, giving in to Loki’s demands. “If this is truly what you want, then I’ll ask her.” He reached out to caress Loki’s cheek then, wanting to reassure him of his love and support. “As long as whatever decision you make allows you to still love and respect yourself, I will support it. I love  _ you _ . And I always will.”

Blushing deeply, Loki reached out to hold Thor’s face as well, a bashful grin on his face. “You’re so good to me.”

Meeting Loki in the middle for a kiss, Thor hummed, relieved that Loki’s conversation with his mother hadn’t ruined his mood. “That changes now. I hate you and I never want to see you again!”

This was their running joke with each other, and Loki couldn’t help but snort, shoving at Thor playfully. “Well the ring on my finger and the bond mark on my neck says differently.”

Thor leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss against Loki’s fresh bondmark, proud of their new intermingled scent. “You’re absolutely right about that.”

Now that they were bonded Thor was  _ addicted _ to their scent, and nuzzled against the side of Loki’s neck again, feeling as if he could get drunk off of the intoxicating scent. “Let me pay off your lease, Loki.”

Grinning softly, Loki nestled into Thor’s side when the alpha settled down next to him, humming softly. “I was thinking about paying it off today, actually.”

“Let me pay it, Loki,” Murmured Thor, pulling the man into his lap. “I don’t think I can wait three more months for you to live with me.” Loki opened his mouth to protest, but Thor shook his head, not wanting to hear it. “Let me do this, love.” 

Loki knew from experience that Thor would insist to pay it off until he wore him down, so he agreed, running his fingers through Thor’s golden hair. “Sure. I’ll contact my landlord this weekend.”

The pair remained in each other’s hold for sometime before shifting to the kitchen to eat dinner, each of them excited that they were taking this step of moving in together. Of course, they wouldn’t be here for  _ long _ , as they needed to search for a home to raise their family in, but nevertheless Loki was excited. He’d been dreaming of the day he and Thor would share this life together, and it had finally come.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki moved in with Thor that weekend and donated most of his furniture to the Salvation Army, as he no longer needed it. Thor’s mother also arranged for their families to meet later that Sunday at Thor’s parents’ home, so Loki found that he couldn’t sleep the night before.

Thor tried his best to encourage him, but it didn’t completely help, as Loki had no idea how his family was going to act once they arrived. He knew that his conservative parents would be disgusted and ashamed to hear that he and Thor bonded before marriage, but he could honestly not care less. This was his life and his relationship. They had no right to try and sway him to do things their way.

Arriving at Thor’s parents’ home, Loki was surprised to see that there were so many cars, and he wondered if Frigga invited Thor extended family too. He sort of hoped that was the case, as Thor had a lovely family, and he really enjoyed being around them all.

“Looks like my mother invited her sisters,” Commented Thor, looking around at all of the cars as well. “They’re so outspoken. I wonder how your family will handle them.”

Snorting softly, Loki took Thor’s hand and followed him inside, wondering the same thing. Thor’s aunt Hilda had the mouth of a sailor and he couldn’t help but laugh, knowing that they’d all be in for a treat.

Making their way out to the outdoor kitchen and dining area, Loki felt a large sense of relief when he saw so many of Thor’s family members there. Thor’s aunts gasped and made their way over to hug him and kiss his cheek once he was spotted, each other them ranting and raving about how attractive he was and how beautiful his ring was.

He proudly showed it off to them and blushed when they praised the pair for bonding, each of them yammering on about how they knew Loki was the one from the moment they met him. It seemed that his family was there already - his brothers’ wives were there too, which Loki felt indifferent about - and were sitting quietly at a table with Frigga and Odin, seemingly uncomfortable with how free and amicable Thor’s family was being.

Figuring that he should finally greet his family, Loki guided him and Thor over to them, a tight-lipped smile on his face. “Mother, Father. Thank you for coming.”

Laufey frowned slightly, rising to hug Loki. “Why would we miss your engagement party, Loki?”

He didn’t want to argue with his mother right from the beginning of the day, so he ignored the comment, kissing at his cheek. “Of course. Forgive me.”

Thor shook the hands of Loki’s father and brothers next, a polite smile on his face. “It’s a pleasure to see you all. Thank you for coming.”

The men shook his hand begrudgingly before sitting back down again, and Thor nodded politely at the wives of Loki’s brothers, surprised to see that they were dressed so conservative even though they were younger than him. They wore very little makeup, and had their cardigans to cover their arms and torsos, long skirts covering their legs. “It’s nice to meet both of you.”

They nodded politely at him before looking away, so Thor pulled out Loki’s chair and helped him sit, pushing him in before sitting down himself. “Should I call everyone to dinner, Mother?”

Frigga shook her head, standing up to do it herself. “Everyone? Loki and Thor have arrived. Let’s eat lunch, please!”

Thor’s aunts, uncles, cousins, and brothers made their way over to the tables to sit, caterers passing out a decadent meal.

Surprised by the grandeur, Loki’s mother widened his eyes, looking around as everyone’s wine glasses were filled with premium wine. “Norns have mercy, i-is this Mancini?!”

Frigga hummed softly, a gentle smile on her face. “It is. One of my close friends is a famous Italian chef, and is married to the daughter of the company. He actually catered to our meal today. I hope you like it.”

Loki could see the greed in his mother’s eyes and frowned, hoping that he didn’t do anything to embarrass him.

“So Laufey, Loki tells me that you’re quite involved with the Church of the Norns. How is that?”

“Oh, it’s wonderful, Frigga. We go on missions trips to show people all over the world the way of the Norns, we go to impoverished nations and help build up entire communities and villages. It is  _ such _ rewarding work.”

His family hadn’t been on a mission trip in  _ years _ , and he narrowed his eyes at the man, understanding what he was trying to do. “Mo-”

“I always try to convince Loki to rejoin the church. It would help guide him in ways that he most certainly needs,” Rambled his mother, sipping at the expensive wine. “Now that he’s getting married, I can’t wait for him to marry in our church. Thor could do so  _ much _ for our church, and we’d be able to reach so many hurting people if he joined as well.”

Frigga was surprised to hear that Loki’s mother said they were getting married in a church. “I didn’t know the wedding was taking place in a church, Loki.”

“It’s not,” Gruffed the omega, continuing to eat his meal. “I don’t know where Thor and I are getting married, but we’re not doing having our wedding in a church. I don’t want a traditional wedding.”

His family seemed scandalized by that, each of them inhaling deeply. His father shook his head, setting down his fork loudly on his plate. “Loki! Our family has married in the church for  _ generations _ . The Norns are the only reason you’re marrying into a family like this, and it’s only right that you do their bidding and stop running from them!”

“Now, now, I don’t think our precious Loki is running from anything,” Began Frigga, drawing attention to herself. “Loki is a  _ splendid _ young man, and I can’t imagine accepting anyone besides him into our family. He fits right in. Loki is a lovely omega, and I think the Norns are very proud of the man he is.”

Loki’s father frowned deeply. “I understand that everyone has different beliefs, but Loki was raised to be a certain way. He knows how our family is, and what we value.”

Odin frowned slightly, deciding to speak up. “While that may be true, Loki is his own person. Every person’s spiritual journey is different, and believing that Loki’s journey should be exactly like yours probably makes him very uncomfortable.” He sighed afterward, shooting a level look at Farbauti. “Loki is a wonderful person, and I believe with everything in me that he and Thor will be very happy in the coming years. If they don’t want to have a traditional wedding in a church, then absolutely  _ nothing  _ is wrong with that.”

Odin’s clear dismissal of Loki’s father seemed to have shocked Loki’s family, and set an awkward mood for the table. Loki immediately began to regret asking Thor’s family to meet with his, and looked down at his plate, relaxing when Thor placed a comforting hand on his thigh. It reminded him that he wasn’t alone, and that he would always have Thor’s support. Someone sniffing made Loki look up, and seeing that it was no one else but his mother infuriated him.

Frigga seemed troubled by Laufey’s tears, and reached across the table, placing a calming hand on his wrist. “Are you alright, Laufey?”

Sniffing again, Laufey wiped at his tears, annoying Loki even more with this dramatic display. “Is it wrong for me to want my son to have a traditional wedding, in the faith that we raised him in? He already went and bonded to his alpha before marriage and broke my heart, and now I’m being told that he doesn’t want to marry in the church, for our faith. It just  _ destroys  _ me to hear this.”

Farbauti shot Loki a nasty look before comforting his wife. “We just don’t understand what made Loki like this. He’s always been so  _ defiant _ , and all we’re asking him to do is just have a traditional wedding. After everything he’s done, this is the least he could do.”

Loki’s mouth gaped open in indignation, and he almost rose to his feet to yell at his father, Thor’s strong grip on his thigh the  _ only _ thing holding him back.

Frigga and Odin now had extremely displeased expressions on their faces, and shared a pained look before Frigga answered Farbauti. “As parents, our children’s happiness means everything. We might not always agree with what our children do, or the lifestyle that they choose to live, but we love them in spite of, always there to uplift and support. To demand that Loki do what  _ you _ want him to do on a momentous day like his wedding is quite unfair. If it were up to me, there would be no less than 500 guests in attendance at their wedding, but that would make Loki feel uncomfortable, so whatever number of guests he tells me he wants me to invite, I will abide by that, because I love Loki, and want his special day to be just that.”

Loki winced at the look his mother shot Frigga. “Are you  _ insinuating _ that my husband and I don’t love our son?”

The conversation further down at the other table had stopped completely, and everyone watched in disbelief, incredulous expressions on their faces. 

Laughing softly and shaking her head, Frigga straightened up, trying to fix this and keep the peace. “Not at all, Laufey. I understand that all parents love their children in the only way they know how. I merely suggested that because of your great love for your son, it would make things  _ much _ easier on him if you gave him your blessing to have the wedding that  _ he _ wants to. I understand what it is like to want something for your children - as all parents do - but it would be wrong for me to enforce my will on my sons. They are unique, each in their own way, and that is where the beauty of being a parent lies, Laufey.”

Loki was  _ horrified _ that his mother had started so much drama, and almost  _ fainted _ at what Laufey said next.

“Maybe if Loki and Thor could make a donation to our church in their name, it would help ease the hearts of my husband and me.”

He couldn’t  _ believe _ that his mother was  _ actually _ doing this, and growled low in his throat, completely over this entire event. “Mother!”

Laufey teared up even more, pissing Loki off with his theatrics. “The church needs so much  _ help _ , Loki! I know you’ve given up on our faith but we haven’t! If you don’t want to get married in the church, the least you could do is make a donation in you and Thor’s name.”

Clearing his throat, Thor drew attention to himself, hoping to calm things down. “Laufey, that is a  _ very _ personal decision. Loki and I will discuss this further when we’re alone, but I don’t feel very comfortable being put on the spot like this, and I’m certain that Loki doesn’t either. Can we agree to discuss this at a later date?”

Wiping at his tears, Laufey nodded, causing the whole table to sigh in relief. “I-I suppose.”

Odin took over next, hoping to steer the conversation back to a more polite nature. “What type of business are you in, Farbauti? I think Loki has told us that you work for a law firm?”

This seemed to distract Loki’s parents, and for that he was relieved. He was pissed beyond belief that his parents were trying to guilt-trip Thor and his family into making a donation for their church and hated that they tried to cause drama at the lovely meeting Frigga arranged for them all.

Thor rubbing at his thigh made him look up, and he calmed immediately upon seeing the gentle look in the alpha’s eyes, remembering once again that he wasn’t alone anymore. He had someone that loved him and supported and  _ believed _ in him, and that meant so much to Loki.

Wherever life took them, he knew that they’d always be together, and it was knowing this that made it easier to calm down and trust their future. Although uncertain, he believed in  _ them _ and what they shared. All that mattered was what made them happy, and it was okay to live like that. He refused to let his parents ruin this for him, and inhaled deeply, calming further.

He would have the wedding of his dreams and would enjoy marrying the man that had stolen his heart, and absolutely  _ no one _ would ruin that for them.

  
  
✬⭒✭⭒✮  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. Greed And Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!!
> 
> Quick note before I begin. I know you've noticed that Loki is referred to being Thor's "wife" throughout the story.
> 
> In my head, when I write in the ABO universe, it makes WAY more sense that a society that has had ABO attributes since the beginning would be more inclined to focus on the secondary sex, since that is what determines how someone is able to reproduce. So in my stories, omegas are always Moms/grandmothers/wives/ etc. It just makes sense to me.
> 
> I know this is pretty late to say considering we're so far throughout the story, buuuuuuuuuuut I felt like it needed to be said. I'll add this to the first chapter too so that everyone new to the story understands.

✬⭒✭⭒✮  


Although his parents displayed such poor sides of themselves at the engagement party Frigga threw for them, it ended fairly nicely, and it was all Loki could think about as the weeks after began to pass by. It really upset him that his parents tried to coerce him and Thor’s family to make a huge donation to the church just because they were wealthy, and it pissed him off even more that his parents were constantly texting him to try and guilt-trip him into making a donation to their church.

He began to wonder if they would leave him alone if he used some of the money that he had left from the 80k Thor gave him from their agreement, and as the days past, this thought consumed him. He still felt this all consuming guilt from pulling away from his family, and a large part of him felt that giving his parents money wouldn’t solve the issue. He feared that they would ask for more and more and  _ more _ , and this was the last thing that he wanted to happen. 

He debated about asking Thor his opinion, as he was still hesitant to involve Thor in every struggle or hardship in his life. He didn’t want to come across as too dependant on the alpha, and wanted to at least  _ try _ to come to a decision on his own. Thor seemed to notice that something was on his mind though when they went out for dinner a few weeks after the family luncheon, as he asked him if everything was alright. 

Sighing softly, Loki looked up at the alpha, deciding to be honest. “I’ve been thinking about giving my parents’ money for the church.”

The alpha was shocked to hear that Loki wanted to do this and set down his utensils, shooting Loki an incredulous look. “Are you serious?”

Loki immediately clammed up, rushing to explain themselves. “I-I still have some money left over. I’m not asking you to give a donation, Thor. I just… I want them to leave me alone. And I don’t think they will unless I do what they’re asking.”

“Loki, if you do what they’re asking you to do, they’re going to keep taking and taking and  _ taking _ from you. Your family doesn’t know when to stop when it comes to you, and I love you too much to watch you fling yourself into a situation that will only come to hurt you in the end.” Thor noticed that he was probably being a bit too harsh with his tone, as Loki had the look in his eyes that he usually got when Thor got too dismissive with him.

He hated being the one to make Loki feel like his opinions or feelings weren’t important, and reached across their table to gently grab Loki’s hands, apologizing. “I’m sorry. I don’t want you to feel like your thoughts or opinions aren’t important. Because they are.” Loki seemed more receptive now, so Thor continued to gaze at him gently, hoping to get his point across more gently. 

“Love, you mean everything to me. And when you’re hurting, I want to do whatever I can to make you happy again. Knowing that there’s nothing I can do to protect you from your family hurts in ways that I can’t even begin to explain, and if it were up to me, you would have nothing to do with them for the rest of your life.”

He saw Loki’s gaze soften, and rubbed at the back of the omega’s hand, hoping to soothe him further. “But I understand that the decision of entertaining your family isn’t up to me. It’s up to you. As your fiance, all I ask is that you never put yourself in situations that make you compromise your love for yourself, and your values.”

Loki looked down for a moment, choosing his next words very carefully. “I can’t shake the feeling that if I don’t give my family money, it will get worse. But I also know that if I give them the money, they’ll only want more.” He sighed softly then, finally meeting Thor’s concerned gaze. “I know it sounds silly, but… a part of me wants to do this final thing for them, to settle any guilt that I have about not involving myself with them as closely as I have in the past. I need to do this, Thor.”

They stared off for a few seconds before Thor bowed his head, understanding. “Then let me write the check. Whatever I have will soon be yours, and I cannot say that I feel comfortable with you dropping into your personal funds to donate to your family’s church.”

“No, they’re my family and my responsibility, Thor. I don’t want you getting caught up in their toxic web.” Protested Loki, shaking his head quickly. 

“Loki, let me do this for you.” Pressed Thor, squeezing Loki’s hands again. “ _ Please _ .”

The pair had been in enough minor disagreements for Loki to know that Thor wouldn’t drop this issue until he gave in, so the omega sighed, a slight downturn to his lips. “Thor…”

“You aren’t a burden, Loki. I  _ want _ to help you. Please let me do this.”

Finally giving in completely, Loki nodded, reaching out to sip at his drink. “Fine.”

Thor relaxed after Loki agreed, and released his hands, sipping at his own drink. “Loki, I love you, and I want to help you, however I can. We’re getting married soon, and I want us to work together to make each other happy, and keep each other satisfied.”

This resonated with Loki, and he shot Thor a soft smile, touched by the statement. “And I want the same.”

Their dinner was spent on a much lighter note after this was said, and after getting home, Thor wrote Loki a check to give to his family, hoping that this wouldn’t be something that they always had to do. He wasn’t very fond of donating to causes that he couldn’t care less about.

Before Loki knew it, a month and a half had passed since the second engagement party Frigga threw for them, and he found that it was time for him to begin crafting his resignation letter to give to the director of his department. Although… he really didn’t want to. He loved the company he worked for with everything in him, and didn’t want to leave it. He understood that originally he was leaving so that there would be no outcry of favoritism from those that worked for the company too, and Thor’s job wouldn’t be at risk, but… he found himself often wondering if he truly had to leave.

Before bed that night he found himself researching company policy, and was delighted to discover that there weren’t necessarily any rules against him staying in the company after he married Thor. He wasn’t Thor’s assistant anymore, so Thor wasn’t who he was reporting to each day. As long as he never worked  _ directly _ under Thor, it seemed that he could stay for as long as he wanted.

Noticing that Loki seemed to be investigating something heavily on his phone before bed, Thor slid in next to him, a large part of him overjoyed that they were finally living together, and could fall asleep in each other’s arms every night. “You seem quite interested in something.”

Looking up at the alpha nervously, Loki set his phone down, turning to face him in bed and sitting up. “Thor?”

“Hm?”

“There’s actually something I wanted to speak to you about…” Began Loki, twisting his hands into the comforter nervously. “I… I was researching company policy, and there’s nothing that says I  _ have _ to leave the company once we get married.”

Thor sat up as well, staring down at Loki curiously. “You don’t want to leave?”

“... I don’t.”

Sighing softly, Thor thought to himself for sometime, knowing that he needed to tell his father about this. “Alright. Well, I’ll bring this up to my father tomorrow and keep you informed about what he decides.” He raised a curious eyebrow at Loki then. “Do you not want children anymore?”

“Well I do, but… I don’t want to be a stay at home mom for years, Thor. I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time, and I realized that after my maternity leave ends, we can just hire a nanny. I’m a manager, so I can work from home two or three days a week. So on the days I go to work, the nanny can take care of the children. I want to have a family, but I don’t want to sacrifice my career. We have more than enough money to hire a nanny to help take care of the children as we have them.”

When they talked about serious issues regarding their future, Loki often clammed up, stammered, or avoided and dodged the issue. The omega always feared that Thor would shut him down or disregard what he said even though the alpha tried to help him understand that he would  _ never _ do something like that. He was relieved that Loki seemed to have put a lot of thought into his decision though, and hummed softly, wanting to reassure him. “I don’t want you to ever feel like you have to give up your career to raise our family.” 

The light of hope in Loki’s eyes made him smile, and he reached out, taking Loki’s hands in his so that he could kiss his knuckles. “I can work from home once or twice a week too.  _ Technically _ , I only have to work three days a week. In the beginning, I can stay home with the baby once or twice a week, you can stay home once or twice a week, and then the nanny can come on a Friday and begin working more shifts as our child gets older, and we return to work gradually.”

Inhaling in surprise, Loki widened his eyes, staring at Thor in complete and utter adoration. “You’d really stay home to help me?”

“Loki,  _ of course _ ! The child-rearing isn’t solely your responsibility because you’re the omega. I-I didn’t want children before meeting you, but… now that I can see us having them, I  _ want _ to help. They’ll be my children just as much as they’re yours, and they deserve to be loved and raised by both of us. Me being an alpha doesn’t mean that I’ll never change diapers or watch over them.” Loki seemed so touched by the sentiment, and it made Thor a bit sad, as he understood that Loki most likely believed that Thor wouldn’t help him because of his strict, religious upbringing. “Loki, we’re embarking on this journey together. If we’re both deciding to have children together, then we _ both _ need to raise those children equally. I refuse to let you take on a bulk of the burden.”

Smiling up at Thor softly, Loki nodded, thanking the Norns again that he’d been led to such an amazing alpha like Thor. “Thank you, Alpha…”

Loki didn’t call him this too much, so when he did Thor always took it to heart. “Of course, Omega. I love you, and I want this marriage to work. I want to raise a healthy family with you, and I want you to know that you can talk to me about things like this. I’m not going to yell at you or berate you for voicing your concerns.”

“I-I know,” Murmured Loki, looking away then. “I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that I can talk to you about serious issues without arguing like I do with my family.”   
  


“Loki,  _ we’re _ not your family. Our marriage will be nothing like your parents’, and our children will not interact like your brothers do with you. We’ll work together to build a family with core values of love and support, and we’ll always uplift each other. I know you can’t control how your parents and brothers act, but you  _ can _ control our family. Alright?”

Nodding, Loki allowed Thor to pull him in for a comforting hug, beginning to laugh when Thor nestled against his scent glands. “Why do you love my scent so much?”

“Because it’s  _ our _ scent, now,” Answered the alpha, kissing Loki here softly. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when we have children. They’ll smell just like us, and I’ll never want to let them go.”

This was the most  _ adorable _ thing Loki had ever heard, and he grinned, wrapping his arms tighter around the alpha. “That’s probably the sweetest thing you’ve ever said.”

They settled back down into their bed then, and Thor pulled Loki closer, always overjoyed when the omega rested on his broad chest. “You know, I never believed that I’d be this happy. Eight months ago, I was lying to Freyr about dating you. And  _ now, _ ”

“Now you’ve fallen so in love, you don’t know what to do with yourself, and you’re secretly relieved that you lied and said you were dating me, and not whoever else that could’ve walked through your door.” Finished Loki, snorting softly when Thor tickled his side. “I have to get to work early tomorrow, Thor.”

Reaching down to playfully squeeze Loki’s ass, Thor kissed at his temple, hoping they’d at least be able to squeeze in a romp before bed. “How early?”

“Early enough. No sex tonight.”

Thor always deflated whenever Loki told him they didn’t have time for sex, and it was almost comical to him whenever he saw Thor’s reaction. “Alpha, I don’t feel like being fucked tonight. I’m still sore from this morning.”

The last thing Thor wanted was Loki feeling like he was being forced to have sex, so he sighed, shifting his hand away from Loki’s rear. “I understand.” Now that Loki lived with him, they’d been having sex every night -  _ and _ every morning, when they could squeeze in a quickie - so he understood why Loki was tired. “I’m sorry I’ve been all over you. I’m just excited that we’re finally living together. I used to look forward to every weekend because I got to touch you, and now that I can be with you everyday, it’s hard to tell myself not to.”

Sitting up a bit, Loki shot Thor a thoughtful look, surprised to hear this. “We don’t always have to  _ fuck…  _ there are other things we can do, too.”

Loki had already said that he was tired, so Thor didn’t want him to do anything. “Those are things that will have to wait for another day. Let’s go to sleep, love.”

Raising an eyebrow, Loki remained where he was, not wanting Thor to suffer from “blue balls” tonight. “I can still jerk you off or use my tongue, Thor. I don’t mind.”

Although tempting, Thor wasn’t in the mood anymore. If Loki wasn’t into it, there was no point. “I’ll be fine, love.”

He wasn’t convinced, but let the issue go, nestling back into Thor’s side. He  _ did _ have an early day tomorrow, so he relaxed until he felt himself drift off to sleep, thoughts of Thor, their careers, and their future family on his mind.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Angrboda and Svandilfari had been leaving him alone once they learned that he was bonded and engaged, so work hadn’t been too stressful for him lately. He knew that Thor was telling his father about his desire to stay in the company today, so the omega could only hope that everything would be okay, and he’d still be allowed to work here after marrying Thor.

When it was just him and Svadilfari left in the cubicle for the day, Loki decided that he’d head home and relax in the bath with a nice book. Just as he was getting up to leave, Svadilfari called out to him, and everything in him groaned in annoyance as he turned around. “Yes?”

The alpha had a cocky smirk on his face, and pulled out his phone, seemingly pulling up something. “I saw the most  _ interesting  _ thing last week when I was out on a dinner date. I even took a picture, because I knew no one would believe me.”

Loki rolled his eyes and grabbed his things, moving to walk away. “There are a million and one things that I would rather see, Svad. Have a good night.”

“Oh, I think you’ll be quite interested in seeing the picture I took, Loki. It would be terrible if it was ever seen by someone else.”

This statement made Loki freeze in his tracks, and his heart skipped a beat, praying to the Norns that Svadilfari hadn’t seen him and Thor together.

Svadilfari’s tone was almost comically teasing then. “Ah, that got your attention.” The alpha stood and made his way over to Loki, hands in his pockets, and a devious smile on his face. “You know, I knew something was up when I saw that you’re bonded and engaged now. But I  _ never _ thought you were the type of man to cheat on whatever poor bastard you’ve conned into loving you.”

Whirling around, Loki looked Svadilfari up and down, his heart almost beating out of his chest. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Finally pulling out his phone, Svadilfari pulled up the picture he took, turning the screen towards Loki. “I know your secret, Loki. I don’t think your fiance would be too happy to hear that you’re messing around with the company’s CEO. And I think it’ll be in your best interest to do whatever I want you to do.”

Loki stared at the picture in horror, his heart racing even faster. “That will never happen.”

“Oh really?” Laughed Svadilfari, putting his phone away. “I’m sure Thor’s wife would be horrified to learn that their husband was cheating on them with his ex assistant.”

It seemed that Svadilfari thought that Loki and Thor were cheating on their partners with each other, and Loki didn’t correct him, as he knew he needed to speak to Thor about this before revealing anything. “What do you want me to do?”

Cocky smirk growing, Svadilfari reached out to caress Loki’s cheek, unbothered when Loki shook in revulsion. “Fuck me. Whenever I want, wherever I want, for as long as I want.”

Loki was  _ sickened _ by the statement and immediately refused, taking an unsteady step back. “Absolutely not! You’re out of your mind!”

Svadilfari reached out to grab Loki’s wrist tightly, causing the omega’s heart to race even faster. “Decide right now. If you run away, the company will know your little secret, and both your career and his career will be over.”

Snatching his wrist out of Svadilfari’s hands, Loki spat at the man, enraged with the situation. “You’re a sick,  _ twisted _ man!”

“I guess you want everyone to know then. I hope you enjoyed working here,” Murmured the alpha, turning back around to sit at his desk. “Once these pictures are uploaded to the company message boards, your life is over. Hope the CEO’s cock was really that great.”

Loki didn’t even dignify this retort with a response, and rushed to the elevator, making his way up to Thor’s office. His secretary was sitting at her desk outside Thor’s office, and looked up when Loki approached her, an annoyed look on her face. “The CEO is busy. You’ll have to return later.”

Staring her up and down, Loki raised an eyebrow up at her, wondering why she had such a nasty sneer on her face. “Excuse me?”

“The CEO is  _ busy _ . He doesn’t have time to see someone like you.”

He knew that he wasn’t supposed to just barge into Thor’s office, but they needed to contain the situation that Svadilfari was causing  _ immediately _ , and he honestly didn’t care about workplace procedures right now. Rushing past Sif, Loki ignored her yelling and opened the door to Thor’s office, relieved that he was alone. “Thor!”

The alpha was currently sitting at his desk and was on the phone, eyes widening in concern when he saw how flustered Loki was. He knew that Loki would never barge into his office like this without a reason, and quickly let the person on the other line know that he would call him back.

Sif was right next to Loki then, dialing for campus security on her phone. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Odinson! Security will be right up to take him away!”

Cursing under his breath, Thor stood, making his way over to the pair. “Tell security that their presence isn’t necessary. I don’t need them here.”

Sif looked back and forth between Thor and Loki, narrowing her eyes in understanding when she noticed that the pair shared the same scent. “Mr. Odinson…”

“Leave us, Sif. Go home for the day,” Sighed Thor, pinching at the bridge of his nose. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

His assistant seemed hesitant to leave him alone with Loki, but left his office anyway, closing the door behind her.

Once they were alone, Thor took Loki’s hand and guided him over to his couch, sitting down with him. “What’s wrong, love?”

Biting at a lower lip nervously, Loki finally met Thor’s gaze, hating that they were being exposed like this. “One of my coworkers discovered we were seeing each other, and posted images of us kissing on the company message boards when I refused to let him have sex with me to keep my mouth shut.”

Inhaling sharply, Thor widened his eyes. “Norns… alright, it’ll take me some time, but I’ll handle this. My father was planning on meeting with us and the board before the day ended anyway, so… I’ll just inform them all of this.”

Hearing that they had to meet with the board was a bit nerve-wracking, but Loki knew that it was most likely necessary if he wanted to continue working here. “Alright… what would you like me to do?”

“Let me make a few calls, first. This situation can be contained, but it’ll take some time.”

Loki was relieved that it was the end of the day for most workers in the company, so there wouldn’t be too many employees that would be aware of he and Thor’s relationship right now. Taking in a deep breath to try and calm himself, Loki watched as Thor made numerous phone calls to various people in high places, hoping that this situation would easily resolve itself.

Once it became 6, Thor finished his final phone call, and sighed, running a hand through his golden hair before standing up. “My father and the board want to speak to us. I don’t know how long this will take, but… everything will be alright.”

Loki wasn’t very convinced, but nodded anyway, trusting that Thor would have this situation under control soon. 

Together the pair left Thor’s office, and made their way to the meeting room the board requested they see them in. It was a bit intimidating, to be around this many executives in one room, but Loki bit back his nerves, following Thor into the room, and sitting down at the large, oval table.

Thor’s father nodded at him seriously in greeting before sighing, and gesturing for his secretary to hand Thor and Loki a few documents. “Before we address the issue of an employee using the company message board inappropriately, we need to discuss your relationship. It is to my understanding that you will be getting married in November. Because you still want to be employed in my company Loki, I need you to sign paperwork that states that you and Thor’s relationship is consensual in every way, and that you understand that you will never be able to work under him again, in this particular company. If it is ever discovered that you are promoted because of Thor’s working behind the scenes, both of you will be immediately terminated. You are both to remain professional at work; I am certain that won’t be an issue.”

Odin listed what they were and weren’t allowed to do for a few minutes, and explained every major item that was on their paperwork, satisfied when they had no questions. Signing the paperwork wasn’t an issue at all for Loki or Thor, and once it was signed, Loki felt a bit of the weight on his shoulders lessen.

Odin waited until Loki was finished signing everything before clearing his throat, drawing attention to himself. “Thank you, Loki. If you have no other questions you are dismissed.”

He understood that he wasn’t an executive, and technically wasn’t high enough in the company to partake in the meeting about what Svadilfari did. Nodding at everyone politely, Loki let Thor know he’d meet him at home, and left, thoughts from the day running through his mind.

Driving at night always relaxed him, and he decided that he would take the back roads home instead of using the highway, needing to clear his head. He couldn’t believe that today had been as harrowing as it was, and prayed to the Norns that Svadilfari got kicked out the company, or moved to a different department. He couldn’t fathom having to work on the same team as the alpha, and shuddered, knowing that a good bath would help him clear his head.

After parking in his designated parking spot in the parking garage, Loki made his way upstairs to he and Thor’s penthouse, quickly showering off the sweat from the day before climbing into the bath and setting the aqua jets on high.

The bath did help relax him, so he lathered his skin with rose-scented lotion after climbing out and got dressed, deciding that making some dinner would help calm him down. He was in the middle of cooking chicken breast when Thor finally made it home, and relaxed when he felt the alpha’s arms circle around him. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Sighed Thor, pressing a soft kiss against Loki’s bondmark. “You’re not supposed to know this but Svadilfari is getting fired for doing what he did. A company-wide email has been sent out, explaining that you and I are getting married in November. And although it might make some people uncomfortable, my father has decided that if you truly want to stay with Asgardian Enterprises, it won’t be an issue.”

This put a relieved grin on Loki’s face, and he turned down the stove heating, turning in Thor’s arms to hug him. “Norns, I can’t believe that everyone knows about us, now…”

“I know. But nothing will come from it. At most, those around you might be initially uncomfortable, but this should pass with time.” He kissed softly at Loki’s bondmark again, not wanting him to worry. “Everything will turn out alright, love. Pretty soon, we’ll start looking for a home, and then we’ll begin planning our wedding.”

Pulling back to place a loving kiss against Thor’s lips, Loki hummed softly, knowing that they needed to find a realtor and a wedding planner soon. Their wedding was 4 months away, and they  _ still _ didn’t have a house or anything for the wedding planned.

He knew that it would all come together though - Thor’s mother had been politely pestering him about cake tastings and the like, so he knew if nothing else, Frigga would work her magic and help him plan things - and kissed Thor again before pulling away so that he could finish cooking dinner.

Thoughts of how his work life would be did make him nervous, as he and Thor’s relationship was now out in the open. He didn’t plan on leaving the company, so as he moved up within the ranks, he knew that there would always be people who complained about him only getting his positions because he was the CEO’s wife.

He tried his best to not let it bother him as he went to bed that night, and after kissing Thor goodbye and heading into work the next morning, he steeled himself to remain strong, and ignored the looks and whispers that were being directed his way as he made his way to his cubicle.

He was  _ very _ surprised to see that Svadilfari’s things were already gone, and smiled nervously at Natalie and Angrboda when he entered their shared cubicle. Natalie smiled politely and greeted him, and Angrboda just stared at him like a kicked puppy, which made him feel  _ very _ uncomfortable.

He also scheduled a meeting with his team that morning, to explain to them that while he was engaged to the CEO, it didn’t change anything. They were still a team in this department that worked independently of the CEO, and that they wouldn’t be viewed favorably just because they were on Loki’s team. They seemed to understand well enough, and as the rest of the day went on, other than a few odd stares or whispering, Loki didn’t really get approached about the news of him being engaged to Thor.

Towards the end of the day when it was just Angrboda and him in the cubicle, Loki decided that he didn’t feel like pulling overtime on a Friday evening and began to pack up for the day, politely saying goodbye to his coworker. He had a feeling he shouldn’t have though and cursed when Angrboda called out to him, stopping him in his tracks. “Yes?”

Angrboda frowned then, looking away. “Nevermind.”

Loki didn’t care enough to ask him why he changed his mind and turned back around to leave, mentally cursing again when the beta finally decided to speak.

“Why do omegas always go for alphas?”

This was  _ not _ a conversation that he wanted to have, and he sighed, turning back around again. “Everyone is different, Angrboda. There are plenty of omegas out there that are attracted to betas. Have a good night.”

Angrboda stood up then, causing Loki to quickly turn to face him. “There are  _ none _ . Every  _ single _ time I pursue an omega, I am shot down because I’m not a fucking alpha. Is it because I don’t have a knot? Because I can’t bond to you?” Before Loki could respond, Angrboda cut him off with a bitter laugh, rolling his eyes and roughly grabbing at his things. “All you fucking omegas care about is getting fucked by a giant cock, and getting bonded. I bet the CEO is a terribly shitty alpha, and when he divorces you for someone younger in a few years, you’ll wish you had chosen me instead. I would’ve loved you better than he ever could.”

Loki was  _ blown away _ by Angrboda’s words, and gaped at him as the beta strode past him, utterances of “whorish omegas” under his breath.

He now wanted nothing more than to rush into Thor’s office and tell him about this, but he understood that the times he could be seen going into Thor’s office should be few and far between. He didn’t want to make either of them look unprofessional, and since they didn’t drive to work together, Loki decided that he would just head home, and wait for Thor there.

Thoughts from this terrible week ran through his mind on an infinite loop, and it took everything in Loki to actually get on the elevator that led to the penthouse of their building, as he was just emotionally and mentally  _ exhausted _ from his day. A quick shower helped him clear his head some and after hopping out of the shower and changing, Loki headed to the kitchen, deciding to make something to eat.

Making dinner usually fell on his shoulders - if he let Thor do it, they’d be eating steak or burgers or takeout every night - but he didn’t mind, as making their meals helped him feel like he was actually contributing to their relationship. 

As if the day couldn’t get  _ any _ worse, his phone began to ring in the middle of dinner, and he was annoyed to see that it was his mother calling. He honestly debated about ignoring him as he’d been doing, but ended up answering it, fighting back a sigh. “Hello?”

“Hey, Loki. How are you?”

Loki narrowed his eyes in distrust, praying to the Norns that his mother wasn’t trying to get him to make another donation to their church. “...I’m alright. I’m making dinner for Thor and me right now.”

His mother hummed appreciatively, obviously pleased to hear this. “Good. I wanted to ask you if you and Thor would reconsider getting married in the church. Pastor Steven said that the first week of November is available, and I already told the congregation that you’d do it.”

Inhaling sharply, Loki drew back like he’d been stricken, absolutely shocked that his mother did this. “ _ What?!” _

“Loki, I don’t know why you’re resisting this so much! Just get married in the church! Have a religious wedding!”

“No!” Shouted Loki, getting upset all over again. “This is  _ my _ wedding! You already had your wedding day! This is  _ mine! _ And I’d appreciate it if you could respect that!”

His mother gasped, full of indignation. “Loki! After  _ everything- _ ”

“You’re a parent! You’re supposed to give me food and take care of me and show me how to be an adult, while raising me! Stop trying to make me feel guilty about you having to do basic parental tasks!”

He and his mother went back and forth like this for a few minutes before Loki decided that he’d had  _ enough _ . “Listen! If you can’t be happy for me and respect the fact that I don’t want to get married in the church, then  _ don’t _ come to my wedding! I will be just fine with or without you there!” He hung up before his mother could respond and turned his phone off, throwing it against the wall of the kitchen in a fit of rage. “Shit!”

Thor had just gotten home and managed to dodge Loki’s phone shattering into a million pieces, concerned beyond belief. “Norns, Loki! What’s wrong?”

The omega couldn’t help but tear up, and turned off the stovetop, not wanting dinner to burn. Thor was quite distressed to see Loki this upset and rushed over to his side. “Loki, what happened? What’s wrong?”

Loki hated that he always broke down when he got worked up, and clung onto Thor’s shirt, getting more and more upset as he recalled he and his mother’s conversation, and Angrboda’s words to him. “I just had the  _ shitiest _ day, Alpha.”

Setting his things down on a nearby counter, Thor wrapped his arms around Loki, shushing him gently. “Norns, love. Come, sit with me on the couch.” He led Loki over to their living room and pulled him into his lap, continuing to shush him gently as he cried. “Tell me what happened, love.”

Sniffing, Loki wiped at his eyes with a shaking hand, telling Thor about Angrboda’s words, and the argument he’d gotten in with his mother. He hated that his family caused him so much stress, and after telling Thor about it, he just collapsed in his arms, frustrated with the events of the day. “I hate this so much, Thor.”

Kissing at Loki’s temple, Thor rubbed at his back soothingly, not wanting him to spiral down further. “I’m sorry you had such a rough day, love…” He continued to reassure Loki and comfort him, kissing at the omega’s temple once he was calmed down. “Why don’t we eat dinner?”

Loki wasn’t even hungry anymore but knew that he needed to eat. Silently, he stood up and made his way into their kitchen, plating their food and handing Thor his plate. Thoughts of his conversation with his mother kept flitting through his mind, and he decided right then and there that he was done dealing with them. “I don’t want my family at our wedding.”

Inhaling sharply, Thor blinked in bewilderment, surprised by the statement. “What?”

“I don’t want them at our wedding. In fact, I don’t want to see them again. I’m  _ done _ . Done! I shouldn’t be this stressed out after talking to my mom! I shouldn’t have to doubt my mother’s love! Either I have it or I don’t! A-And I’m sick and tired of going back and forth with him!” He was raging by this point, and sat down angrily, stuffing his food into his mouth. “I’m supposed to be happy! I’m marrying the love of my life, I get to keep my job, and I’m starting a new chapter in my life! I refuse to let that man or my horrid family  _ ruin _ it for me.”

If it was up to Thor, he would want Loki to cut off his family forever and ride into the sunset by his side as they started their new life together. But he understood that he couldn’t necessarily demand Loki never speak to his toxic family again, and that Loki needed to come to that conclusion himself. Hearing that the omega wanted to not invite his family to the wedding was a small step, but it was still a step, and for that Thor was proud of him. “If you don’t want them at the wedding, then they won’t be at the wedding, Loki. As long as my family is there, I don’t care where or how we get married. I just want to marry  _ you _ .”

This admittedly made Loki feel better, and he smiled softly, meeting Thor’s loving gaze. “I just want to marry you too.” He reached across the table and intertwined his fingers with Thor’s, thankful that they were finally living together. “I suppose I should call your mother tomorrow morning to see if she wants to meet with a wedding planner.”

Thor didn’t want Loki to feel as if it was up to him and him only to plan for their wedding, and hummed softly, gently squeezing his hand. “We’ll call my mother later tonight and ask if she wants to meet with a wedding planner. I know one of her friends is one, so hopefully, they’ll be willing to work for us.”

“We?” Asked Loki, raising a confused eyebrow at Thor. “You’re helping?”

Although Loki had made leaps and bounds with himself and how he viewed the world, Thor noticed that the omega sometimes had a skewed view of it all. He believed it was Loki’s upbringing, as the omega was often genuinely surprised when he offered to help him clean or cook, or shop for groceries. “Loki, it’s my wedding too. I want to be just as involved as you are.”

This caused the sweetest smile to spread across Loki’s face, and he blushed, the look on his face causing Thor’s heart to melt. “You do?”

“Loki, of course I do. You’re my fiancee… you’ll be my wife soon. I  _ want _ to be involved in this process.” This seemed to make Loki blush further, so he smiled, kissing the omega’s knuckles. “Let’s focus on building our future together, love. All I want is for you to be happy, and love yourself just as much as I love you.”

Loki wondered what he did in a past life to deserve someone like Thor in this one, and grinned, feeling much better than he did a few minutes ago. “I love you, Thor. You are truly one of the best things that have ever happened to me.”

Now it was his turn to blush, and he returned Loki’s soft smile, kissing the omega’s knuckles again. “I love you too. And I always will.”

Loki truly meant everything to him, and knowing that they were embarking on this next phase of their lives together often left him feeling more overjoyed than he’d been in a long time. It did hurt him to know that Loki’s family was so cruel, and that they wouldn’t be at the wedding, but… he would stand by Loki. Loki’s happiness triumphed above all for him, and as long as the omega was happy and content… so was he.

✬⭒✭⭒✮  



	13. Together Forever

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Frigga was overjoyed when Thor and Loki reached out to let her know that they were ready to begin planning their wedding, so that Saturday afternoon the pair headed over to Thor’s parents’ home to meet with Frigga and the wedding planner she chose for them. She was paying for the wedding and everything that it entailed as a gift to the pair, so Loki found that he didn’t mind too much when she took over and “handled” certain aspects of the wedding already; for example, the guest list had been finished a mere few days after they announced their engagement, to Loki’s amusement.

As they pulled into the driveway of Thor’s parents’ home, he admittedly did find himself wondering if he wanted to have a house as large as this one and looked around the humongous neighborhood, seeing a for sale sign on a house not too far away. “That house looks nice, Thor.”

Looking over to where Loki was pointing, Thor hummed, agreeing with him. “That is a nice home. Would you like to look at it tomorrow? I’m sure I can call the realtor.”

It was surreal to know that marrying Thor meant that he would live a life drowned in riches, and sometimes it boggled his mind. He wasn’t with Thor because of his money - and he knew that Thor was aware of this - but sometimes he remembered that he was going to be a billionaire once he married Thor. They’d already spoken about prenuptial agreements, and Thor was adamant about not getting one, as he didn’t want Loki to think that his money was just “his” money. Now that they were getting married, he wanted everything that was his to be shared with Loki, so Loki told himself that Thor had more than enough money to support them in a home as large as that one. “I would like to.”

Getting out of the car, Thor made his way over to Loki’s side and opened his door for him, kissing his cheek affectionately as he helped him up. “I think one of my childhood friends used to live in that house. It’s a very nice home. It looks like it’s been remodeled though.”

Humming in reply, Loki intertwined his fingers with Thor’s and followed him to the front door of his parents’ mansion, excited about beginning their wedding planning. It seemed like just yesterday they decided to try dating each other, and now they were engaged.

Frigga grinned proudly when she saw the pair and kissed their cheeks warmly, a gentle smile on her face. “Thank you for allowing me to help you both in this process. Come, follow me to one of my sitting rooms. The wedding planner Sophia is here.”

The pair made their way through the vast home and into one of Frigga’s sitting rooms, greeting the wedding planner politely. It seemed that she already had her things set up, so Loki and Thor sat down across from her, accepting some water from the housekeepers.

“Well, congratulations, you two! It’s an honor to plan your wedding.” Waiting for the pair to nod, Sophia opened up a large planner, skipping over to a fresh page. “When were you both wanting to get married?”

“We were hoping to get married the first week of November; preferably a Saturday evening.” Answered Loki, his excitement only rising. “I was thinking of having an indoor wedding because we’re getting married in the winter.”

Sophia wrote this all down quickly, humming to herself. “How many people were you wanting at this wedding?”

“The guest list is at 200 guests, I believe,” sighed Loki, trying not to frown. He really didn’t want that large of a wedding, but Frigga was paying for everything, and she’d managed to cut the list from 350 to what it was now, so he accepted that some parts of his wedding wouldn’t be what  _ he _ wanted.

Sophia didn’t seem surprised and continued to write in her notebook. “And where were you wanting to get married? Do either of you have any ideas?”

“I was actually looking at this observatory in Hawaii when we were there for a friend’s wedding,” Murmured Thor, drawing attention to himself. “I went with Freyr to scope it out, and the view at night is astounding. I even took a few pictures.”

Loki was surprised to hear that Thor already had a place in mind, and scooted closer to the alpha on the couch, looking at the pictures Thor was showing him. “Norns, Thor… the view! This is beautiful.”

Thor handed his mother the phone next, relieved when she saw how beautiful it was. “If you’re okay with it, Loki, I’d like to get married here.”

It was so sweet that Thor wanted to be heavily involved in the planning of the wedding, so he nodded, knowing that getting married under the stars of the November sky would be breathtaking. “Of course. We’ll get married here, then.”

The wedding planner wrote this down and hummed, beginning to run through a list to discover what came to their minds when they envisioned their wedding day. It took about two hours to get through the bulk of the planning, and after agreeing to meet once a week on Saturday afternoons with her to continue the wedding planning, the pair left to meet the realtor at the house down the street. They’d called her during the meeting with the wedding planner, and were relieved that she could meet with them that same day.

The home they were looking at was a fantastic grey brick mansion that had obviously existed for decades. It’d been remodeled recently though and had a beautiful rustic charm that Loki found himself falling in love with the more he stared at the property. “This home is  _ lovely _ , Thor.”

“It is,” Agreed the alpha, taking Loki’s hand and greeting the realtor once they made their way up the steps.

Their realtor thanked them for coming and unlocked the doors to the home, stepping aside so that Thor and Loki could gaze at the gorgeous house. 

There were two winding staircases at the heart of the home, and everything in it was immaculately structured. Loki hadn’t seen a home this beautiful in his  _ life _ , and looked around in awe, wondering if he and Thor could really live here. 

Being led through the house by the realtor only convinced him more and more that this was the home he wanted them to raise their family in, and seeing the room that would become the nursery was all it took for him to decide.

The nursery was done up in a lilac scheme, with toys and children’s items spread thoughtfully throughout to give the illusion of someone living here. “Norns, Thor…”

Thor admitted that seeing the nursery made him think of the future as well, and he looked around in awe, imagining that in a year, this would be their life, and they would be setting their child to sleep here.

This house was the place.

After seeing every inch of the home, Loki and Thor ended up buying it right then and there, knowing that this home was where they were supposed to be. They were slated to move in next weekend and spent the entire upcoming week packing up Thor’s penthouse, excited about embarking on this new journey together.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After moving into their new home, everything seemed to just  _ click _ for Thor and Loki. Wedding planning came as easy as ever - although there  _ were _ a few small arguments about things like flower colors or decorations - and before either of them knew it, they were a week away from their wedding.

It seemed so surreal that in a short week they’d be married forever, and living together made it that much easier to imagine how their married life would be. Loki often spent  _ hours _ walking through their vast home in the week leading up to the wedding imagining children running around and playing, and  _ life _ happening, and he couldn’t be happier, knowing that this would all come in time. 

Of course, because he didn’t really have any friends, he didn’t throw a bachelorette party for himself. Instead, he spent the night before his wedding in his own suite at their hotel resort in Hawaii, telling himself that this time next year, he would have more friends. He would be friendlier, he would accept offers to go out, and he would try his best to socialize. He didn’t want his only friend in this life to be Thor.

He remained in his suite all night, unable to sleep and looking forward to his big day. It admittedly hurt to know that he didn’t have anyone there, and he did cry during some parts of the night. People usually had friends and family there to support them the night before their wedding and the day of, but… Loki had no one. His family never returned their RSVP, so he knew that they weren’t coming. He also didn’t have any friends besides Thor and spent the early hours of the next morning feeling incredibly alone.

They wouldn’t marry until 9 pm that night; they wanted to marry under the stars in the observatory, so Loki spent the entire day in bed, trying to not feel too depressed. He wished he had friends to spend this day with, and he wished that he had a family that cared about him enough to actually support him and show up, but… he didn’t. And that hurt.

Around 2 pm, he heard a loud knock on his suite doors and got up to open them, surprised to see Thor’s mother and youngest brother, Baldur. Pulling Frigga into a warm hug, Loki kissed her cheek, happy to see them. “Hello, Mrs. Frigga. What brings you to my suite?”

Frigga kissed his cheek in return and hummed softly, a gentle smile on her face. “I’m your mother from this moment forward. No son of mine will spend the final hours before their wedding alone.”

Hearing this admittedly brought tears to Loki’s eyes, and he nodded quickly, stepping back so that they could enter. “Thank you, Mrs. Frigga.”

Baldur clasped his shoulder jovially - they were close in age and got along well enough - a proud smile on his face. “And as your new brother and best friend, I’m making sure that you’re not lonely anymore.”

This made Loki tear up even more, and he playfully shoved at Baldur, thanking the Norns that he was marrying into such a loving and wonderful family. “Thank you Baldur.”

“I was thinking that we could go out for brunch, Loki? How does that sound?” Asked Frigga, looking up at the tall omega expectantly. “Then we could all go to the spa in the resort. Norns know  _ I _ need it.”

“I would love to.” Answered Loki, heading to his room to change. “I’ll be out in a moment.”

Thor had the  _ loveliest _ family in existence, and Loki thanked the Norns every day that he was becoming part of it later tonight. Spending the rest of the day with Baldur and Frigga made Loki happier than he’d been in a long time, and he was relieved when they stayed behind to help him get ready for the wedding, neither of them wanting him to feel alone on such a monumental day.

And before it was time for the wedding to begin, Frigga pulled Loki aside, wanting to have a serious conversation with him. She waited for Loki to follow her so that they had some privacy in a nearby hallway before clearing her throat, a soft smile on her face. “Loki, I’ve known since day one that you were the one for Thor. Although you may not be my real son, you  _ are _ my son. In every sense of the word. And no matter what happens in you and Thor’s marriage, you will always be my son. Is this understood?”

Loki couldn’t help but tear up a bit at the statement, and smiled as well, nodding. “Thank you, Mrs. Frigga.”

She took his hands then and squeezed them, unshed tears in her own eyes. “Today is a happy day Loki. You are marrying the love of your life, and all that matters is the new life that you will be building together. You are an amazing person, and you deserve this. You deserve  _ him _ . It’s up to the both of you to build a beautiful life together, and to make sure that above all else, it’s the life that you  _ both _ want. Nothing anyone else says matters, as long as you and my son are happy and in love.”

Pulling Thor’s mother into a hug, Loki held on for a bit longer than he usually would, still heartbroken that his family wasn’t here to support him on his big day. But he had Thor, and he had Thor’s family, and that would have to be enough for now. 

Kissing Loki’s cheek softly, Frigga grinned, wiping at his tears. “This is a happy day, Loki. And you are loved and supported by all who are here. Think of the beauty of your union, and what this day will forever mean, instead of what it isn’t and who isn’t here.”

“I-I will,” Assured Loki, sniffing softly. He was relieved that the makeup he was wearing was waterproof, because he was  _ certain _ that he’d be crying up a storm once it was time for him to recite his vows. This day would undoubtedly be emotional, but that didn’t mean that it had to be  _ bad _ emotion. He was marrying the love of his life, and was surrounded by people that loved and supported their union. 

Today was a good day, regardless of who was and wasn’t here.

After kissing Loki’s cheek once more, Frigga left the hallway they were in, and Loki remained alone, waiting until it was time for him to walk down the aisle, and stand by Thor’s side. The music began to play shortly after Frigga left, so Loki gulped nervously and squeezed at his bouquet, taking in a shaking breath. Knowing that it was now or never, Loki opened up the doors leading to the observatory, and immediately teared up when his eyes locked with Thor’s.

The alpha looked as if he descended from the heavens, with a white suit outlined with gold trimming. His beard had been shaped, and his hair was neatly styled, looking every bit a god amongst men.

Seeing Loki making his way towards him did make Thor’s eyes water, and he laughed when he and Loki locked gazes, amazed to see how beautiful he looked. Loki wore a black suit lined with gold - like his - and looked so serene, Thor thought he was dreaming. When the omega finally made his way up to him, Thor had the biggest grin on his face, not even caring about the tears streaming down his cheeks. “You look stunning.”

Loki blushed deeply and stared up at him with a bashful gaze, feeling as if he and Thor were in their own world in that moment. “You look very handsome.”

The officiant of the wedding smiled softly at the pair and began to read out the standard wedding vows, stopping at the end so that Thor and Loki could recite their personal vows to each other. 

Thor cleared his throat to say his first, and stared down at Loki, gently wiping at the tears in his eyes. “I knew from the moment I met you that you were special.” This caused Loki to laugh sweetly, and Thor laughed along with him, continuing his vows. “You remain the only person to this day that can give me a verbal tongue lashing that even  _ I _ don’t know how to come out on top of. You’re smart, you’re witty, you have such a way with your words, and you have literally captivated me every single moment of every single day.”

“Your smile is so radiant that I often smile to myself hours after we part, remembering it. When you laugh, my heart soars, and being with you has made me happier than I’ve ever been. Holding you in my arms as we sleep calms me more than anything on this earth, and seeing your smile when you see I’m the first thing you see in the morning makes me feel as if I can take on the world. Loki, I can’t imagine being here right now with anyone else, and to know that today I am marrying the love of my life, the man that has  _ taken _ every single part of me for himself, couldn’t make me prouder. Thank you for loving me, and thank you for saying yes. I look forward to spending the rest of our lives together, Loki, and know that forever and always, I am yours.”

By the end of Thor’s vows, Loki was a sobbing mess, and squeezed at Thor’s hands tightly, overwhelmed by his emotions. He pulled himself together though and laughed, wiping at his eyes carefully. “Norns… I don’t think my life had an ounce of color in it until you showed up. I knew you were the one for me when you held me in your arms and calmed me down after the first meeting with my family. Thor, you have been nothing but supportive, loving, honest, caring, and open with me, and I couldn’t have asked for a better mate. I’m honored to be bonded to you, and in a few short minutes I’ll be your wife, and we’ll embark on this new phase of our lives together.”

“Thor, your love is so tender, and being loved by you has helped me realize that it’s imperative I love myself. You helped show me that nothing was wrong with me, and that I’m a beautiful person that deserves to be loved. You go above and beyond for me whenever I need you, and I honestly can’t imagine standing next to anyone else. I love you, with all of my heart, and I’m looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together.”

Loki’s vows touched Thor deeply, and he wiped at his own eyes too, overflowing with so much joy. Standing there with Loki, and taking this next step together meant so much to him.

All that was left was to seal their vows with a marriage kiss. Thor leaned forward, wrapping a strong arm around Loki’s waist to pull him closer and slanted his lips against his own. 

Their guests erupted into cheers as they kissed each other, and all of Loki’s sadness and worry melted away as he and Thor kissed. From this moment forward, they would be creating a life for themselves and their future family.

No one else’s input mattered and it wouldn’t sully their union. As long as they were happy, everything would be okay.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki couldn’t stop staring at his ring once he climbed into the large bath with Thor. Knowing that he was married to the love of his life caused immeasurable joy to spread throughout him, and he couldn’t help but imagine their life from here on out. Feeling Thor’s strong arms wrap around him caused him to smile softly and brought him back to the moment at hand. He leaned back into his touch, humming when Thor kissed at his bondmark. “I love you.”

It always sent a jolt down his spine when Loki confessed that he loved him - the omega usually never said it unprompted - and he grinned, kissing Loki’s bondmark gently once more. “I love you too.”

The pair soaked in the warm waters of the bath in comfortable silence for quite some time before getting out and drying off. After lathering his skin with lotion, Loki didn’t even bother putting on nightclothes, and sauntered over to Thor, wrapping his arms around the alpha and drawing him in for a deep kiss. “Why are you getting dressed?”

Snorting softly, Thor dropped his shirt and pulled Loki closer by his waist, closing his eyes and kissing him again. “That’s normally what I do when I get out of the bath.”

Pulling back a bit, Loki grinned up at Thor, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “It’s our wedding night. I thought we’re supposed to be having the most outrageous sex of our lives tonight, and you have yet to make a move.”

“I’m tired, Loki,” Murmured Thor, fighting back a grin when he saw the omega pout with frustration and indignation. “Loki, I’m  _ joking _ .” 

Huffing and pushing at Thor dramatically, Loki turned, looking back at him and pretending to be upset. “I’ve changed my mind! I don’t want to have sex anymore! Enjoy your right hand!”

Thor only laughed and dragged Loki back to his side, snickering when he noticed that Loki was fighting back laughter too. “I can’t help it. You look adorable when you pout.”

Loki rolled his eyes and finally laughed when Thor peppered his face with kisses, getting back at him by pinching at his side. “I don’t  _ pout _ . I frown, just like every other adult.”

Kissing Loki playfully, Thor pinched at his rear, grinning when the omega jumped slightly in his arms. “If that’s what you have to tell yourself.”

Rolling his eyes again, Loki smiled softly when Thor gave him a real kiss, closing his eyes and savoring the moment. “I have something to confess.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Truthfully… after you helped me with my heat, and we slept together the morning after, I swore to myself that I would at least get you to date me by the time Freyr’s wedding rolled around. Little did I know that I’d actually get you to marry me.”

Hearing this did amuse Thor, and he nodded, staring down at Loki with gentle adoration in his gaze. “I actually thought the same thing that morning. I was so convinced that you wouldn’t accept my advances.”

“Really?” Gasped Loki, a bashful smile spreading across his face. “Who would’ve guessed that we’d end up married a year later?”

“Not me,” Murmured the alpha, caressing Loki’s cheek. “But I’m not complaining.” He leaned forward to kiss Loki then, and pinched at his ass once more, causing the omega to laugh. “I believe I was promised sex?”

Snorting, Loki swatted at Thor and exited the master bathroom of the suite, climbing into the massive bed. “Well hurry up. I’m cold.”

Thor stripped himself free of his night pants and climbed in after Loki, grinning when the omega climbed on top of him and splayed his hands across his broad chest. “Are you taking over tonight?”

Loki winked and slid down Thor’s body, taking the alpha’s flaccid length in his hands. “It’s been awhile since I’ve started things. Now relax.”

Settling into the plush mattress, Thor did just that, watching as Loki’s tongue darted out and licked at him, encouraging him with a gentle yet purposeful hand in his hair.

Licking at the base of Thor’s impressive cock, Loki licked along the large vein on the side and made his way up to the alpha’s engorged head, drawing the thick gland into his mouth, and spreading his tongue along it to cover it completely in a broad stroke.

His left hand was purposefully rolling the alpha’s testes, and he ran his thumb gently along the seam, smirking when Thor jerked in his hold. Being the reason the alpha became undone pleased him deeply, and he continued his ministrations, stopping only when the ache to have Thor in him became too unbearable.

Sliding off Thor with an audible pop, Loki straightened up and grinned down at Thor, wiping at his chin. “Ready for me?”

Thor let out a breathless laugh and snapped his hips up teasingly against Loki, not missing the way the omega bit his lower lip to hold back a moan. “Are you going to ride me?”

Loki readjusted himself in Thor’s lap and nodded, reaching behind him to grab at Thor. Then, he steadied himself before pushing Thor into him, his jaw slackening as more and more of the alpha made his way into him.  _ “Norns…” _

Grabbing onto Loki’s hips, Thor helped support him as the omega sank down, letting out a low moan right along with him. He waited for Loki to relax before giving a test snap of his hips, and grinned when the omega cried out, tightening his hold on his hips and thrusting up into him again.

Loki was grasping at the blanket of the bed the more Thor moved into him, and he wrapped his arms around the alpha’s neck when he sat up to hold him, slanting his lips against Thor’s for an impassioned kiss. He broke their kiss to cry out again as Thor went a bit harder and faster, and nestled his face into the crook of his neck, breathing in their combined scent.

He could honestly get drunk off of their combined scent now that they were bonded, and tossed his head back, reveling in their connection. His hands found themselves grasping tightly at Thor’s shoulders, and he snapped his eyes shut as he felt his climax take over, a drawn out moan leaving his lips.

Thor wasn’t that far behind him, and pulled the omega into his strong embrace as he came, inhaling their scent. The pair held on as they crashed through the waves, and collapsed back in bed, panting and catching their breaths.

It was so surreal to Thor that he was actually married now, and he pulled Loki back into his arms, kissing his bond mark softly. “I love you.”

Grinning gently, Loki turned in Thor’s arms, setting himself on top of the alpha again. “I love you too. And I hope you don’t think that was it. We’re having sex until one of us passes out or pulls a muscle.”

Snorting, Thor met Loki for another kiss, spreading him a bit and snapping up into him. “Noted.”

And the pair drowned themselves in each other’s hold, enjoying their new status as a married couple.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

They ended up in Hawaii for two weeks and returned home on the eve of Thanksgiving, meeting Thor and his family at Thor’s parents’ home to celebrate the holiday.

It had been about three months since Loki had spoken to his family, and although it hurt, he could honestly say that he didn’t miss them. Without having to worry about their constant barrage of negativity, he’d been much happier and was honestly okay with never speaking to them again. He was married now and planned on beginning his own family with Thor. He didn’t need his old family.

Thoughts like this flitted through his mind as he and Thor made their way into Thor’s parents’ home, and it wasn’t until the alpha squeezed his hand gently that he realized he was overthinking things. 

Thor had the most concerned look on his face, and it made Loki feel more secure about everything. “I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m thinking about my family.”

This didn’t surprise the alpha. “Have they contacted you recently?”

“No, but… I’ve still been thinking about them.” Loki shook his head then, not wanting to be sad. “I’ll try and focus on the festivities here, with your family. They’re my family now too, so… I’ll be okay. I promise.”

Kissing Loki’s temple, Thor squeezed his hand again, not wanting him to worry. It made him sad to know that Loki had such a horrid family, as he didn’t like seeing Loki hurting. He just wanted the best for his spouse and for him to be happy. Thor’s entire family would be over today and they all loved Loki, so he hoped that spending time with them all would help Loki not think about his own family.

The sound of children screaming with glee caught their attention, and the pair couldn’t help but laugh when they turned the corner and saw Thor’s father playing with the children in the family, pretending to be an angry monster. Thor’s brother Hermod had two children and so did most of Thor’s adult cousins, so it warmed Loki’s heart to see the sight, unable to help but imagine Thor doing this with their own children in a few years. “Looks like your father is busy.”

Thor watched as his father snagged his nephew around the waist and picked him up in the air, pretending to gobble him up. “He loves the children of this family so much. I wish I was more like him sometimes.”

Hearing this didn’t surprise Loki, as he knew that originally Thor was someone who didn’t want marriage or children. They’d spoken endlessly about starting a family though, and if it was something that Thor was ready to embark on, so Loki knew from experience with the alpha that he would come around sooner or later. “It all comes in time, Thor.”

“Well, I don’t have much time,” Sighed the alpha, making his way over to his father. They’d agreed that they would start trying for a baby on their honeymoon, so although it made him nervous to know that they would be having a child soon, he knew that this was what he wanted. He loved Loki more than anything, and did want to take this next step with him.

All of his younger cousins and his niece and nephew were all scared of him - he admittedly didn’t know how to get along with children - so once he made his way over to his father the children all scattered, screaming about how their mean cousin was here.

Laughing heartily, Odin set down his grandchild and clasped at Thor’s shoulder, an amused grin on his face. “You’ve scared all the children away.”

“Well, that happens every year,” Sighed Thor. “Where’s Mother?”

“In one of her sitting rooms with her sisters. Dinner will be ready in about an hour, I believe.” Odin reached out to hug Loki next, a soft smile on his face. “Hello, Loki. It’s a pleasure to see you.”

He hugged Odin back, happy to see him as well. “It’s a pleasure to see you as well, sir.” He could notice the children peeking out from around the couches and various furniture in the room, and laughed softly, figuring he’d better let Odin get back to playing with the children. As they searched through the bottom floor of the mansion to find Frigga, Loki couldn’t help but dream of he and Thor’s future. He still couldn’t believe that he was married sometimes, and always smiled when he happened to notice his ring.

The loud laughter of intoxicated women helped them narrow down where Frigga was, and the pair found her drinking with her sisters, obviously a bit tipsy. 

Frigga grinned when the pair entered the room and immediately stood, pulling Thor into a hug. “Thor! It’s so nice to see you. I hope the honeymoon was everything you wanted and needed it to be.”

“It was,” Grinned Thor, returning his mother’s hug. “Father says dinner will be ready in about an hour?”

“Oh, it shouldn’t be too long, Thor. The chef and his staff have been here since 6 am cooking.” Releasing him, she turned to Loki next, pulling the tall omega into her arms. “Hello, dear. How are you?”

Thor’s mother was  _ such _ a delightful person, and Loki really enjoyed her bubbly personality. “I’m great, Mrs. Frigga. How are you?”

“Looking forward to the announcement of a new baby before the year is over,” Chirped the woman, winking at him and patting his flat stomach. “I can’t wait.”

Laughing nervously, Loki shared a look with Thor, a bit embarrassed. “Well, we don’t  _ know _ if I’ll get pregnant right away, Mrs. Frigga. It could take some time.”

“Oh, leave them alone, Frigga,” Laughed Frigga’s sister Hilda. “Let them enjoy their marriage. You’re lucky Thor was able to find someone that could actually put up with his personality. The family thought he’d be alone forever!”

“Hello to you too, Aunt Hilda,” Sighed Thor, an unamused expression on his face. 

“How many little gremlins are you planning on having anyway?” Asked the woman, looking Loki up and down. “Your lovely little wife here could end up carrying on the family tradition of multiples.”

Loki paled considerably when she said this and laughed nervously once again, looking at Thor’s aunts and mother. “T-Tradition?”

“Twins and triplets run in our family, dear,” Murmured Frigga, a twinkle in her eyes. “We’re triplets, and both Hilda and Greta each had a set of twins and another set of triplets.”

Loki couldn’t imagine being pregnant with more than one child, and looked up at Thor, breaking out into a cold sweat. “It would’ve been nice to know this, Alpha…”

Thor sighed, shooting his mother and her sisters a frustrated look. “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for scaring my spouse.”

“Oh pish posh dear, children are a blessing!” Raved Frigga, sipping at her drink. “I’ll gladly accept all the grandchildren that you’ll give me.”

Loki was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that twins and triplets ran in Thor’s family, and sent off a quick prayer to the Norns,  _ begging _ them to not let that happen to him. He wanted children,  _ yes _ , but he wanted them one at a time.

Taking Loki’s hand, Thor rolled his eyes, dragging him away from his intoxicated mother and aunts. “We’ll see you at dinner, Mother.”

His mother and her sisters all laughed and shooed them away, so Thor made his way to the living room of the house, greeting his brothers and cousins. Loki got along well enough with all of them, so they inserted themselves into the main conversation of the group, and Thor couldn’t help but wonder about he and Loki being on the journey of starting a family as they all talked.

He  _ knew _ it was something he wanted and understood that it would be something that would change him. He just… he wondered if he’d be a good father. Thoughts like this filled his head as he spoke to his family, and he watched them interact with their kids when the young children ran into the room begging for attention, unable to help but wonder if he would change to be like them too. Life was full of unknowns though, and all he could do was take it step by step. He would do his best to be a great father to his children, and that was all he could do.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope yall loved this chapter <3
> 
> I recently started a new job, and I am in school as well, so I miiiiiiiiiight not be able to update every week like I've been doing.


	14. We'll Be Okay... Okay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!!!! Sorry for the long hiatus. Sometimes when I run out of steam for a project I like to work on other projects to clear my head. 
> 
> Anyways, here is the long-awaited chapter. Hope you enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed writing it ;)
> 
> See if you can guess what Loki is having before you read the chapter ;)

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki felt that he and Thor were still in the “honeymoon” phase of their marriage. It had been about a month and a half since they got married, and every day was like a dream for him. He was living a life that he never imagined possible a year ago, and woke up every morning feeling happier than he’d ever felt.

Of course, he hadn’t spoken to his family since the argument he’d with his mother when he refused to have a religious wedding ceremony, and although it hurt initially, the pain ebbed away little by little each day. He was happier now than he’d ever been, and he understood that until his family could apologize and be kinder, he would continue to keep them at a distance. 

His job had also been quite lax lately. Angrboda shot him dirty looks and muttered inappropriate things under his breath whenever he passed him, and people in the company were beginning to get used to the fact that he was married to the CEO. Many employees still felt awkward working with him or addressing him, but he understood that in time, this would pass. 

Thor’s family usually traveled every year for Christmas, and this year it was announced that they would be going to Sunshine Coast in Australia. Loki was really looking forward to the trip, as he’d never traveled outside the U.S. before.

He would just have to manage to get out of bed first.

He’d been stuck in bed with a cold for the past three days, trying to rest as much as he could before the trip. They were leaving early the next morning, and he felt  _ miserable _ , unable to keep anything down. Thor had wanted to stay home to take care of him, but he’d refused, knowing that he’d be able to take care of himself.

He had the worst headache, he felt congested, nauseous, his body ached, and he found himself growing frustrated when he realized that he was still suffering from his cold. They usually didn’t last longer than three days, and the worst was generally day two, but he’d been feeling constantly sick for  _ quite  _ some time. 

And it was this realization that got him thinking.

Researching his symptoms online, he wasn’t surprised to see that pregnancy was one of the top results, and gave it some serious thought, wondering if he actually was pregnant. It’d been about 2 and a half months since he’d gotten his birth control implant taken out, so it  _ was _ possible.

Climbing out of bed had his head swirling, but he did it anyway, and headed to he and Thor’s massive bathroom, opening a cabinet and taking out a few pregnancy tests. He’d bought them after getting his implant removed, and nervously unboxed them, making sure to take a few for accurate results. He then placed them on a towel and waited for three minutes, feeling his heart almost beat out of his chest from anticipation.

Finally gaining the courage to look, Loki felt his stomach flip flop from both happiness and shock when he saw that each screen read “pregnant”.

Norns!

He was  _ pregnant _ !

The first thing on his mind was to tell Thor immediately, but he figured it would be better to tell him in person.

He couldn’t believe that he was actually pregnant, and let out a joyous laugh, picking up a pregnancy test and laughing once again. He didn’t think he and Thor would get pregnant this quickly, but knew that he was happy, and figured that he should make an appointment with a doctor before leaving for their family Christmas vacation.

It was currently 11am, so he called his OBGYN and made an appointment for 3pm, getting even more excited after the call ended. He still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that he and Thor were going to have a baby, and a lithe hand came to rest over his still flat stomach, thoughts of how far along he was flitting through his mind.

A loud knock on the bathroom door jarred him from his thoughts, and he quickly looked up, surprised. “Thor?”

“Are you alright, love? I brought you some medicine.”

Hearing this put a soft smile on Loki’s face, and he stood, walking over to the door and unlocking it. “I’m alright. What are you doing home?”

“I was worried about you, and decided that I would just take the rest of the day off and take care of you instead.” Answered the alpha, breaking the seal on a sports drink and handing it to Loki. “Have you been able to keep anything down?”

“No,” Sighed Loki, pregnancy tests concealed in the sleeve of his long sweatshirt. “But I know why.”

Thor raised a confused eyebrow at the man. “We already know why. You have a cold.”

Unable to hold back his smile, Loki revealed the tests to Thor, his smile only broadening when Thor took one and read the screen. “Surprise!”

Inhaling sharply, Thor took the test Loki handed to him and read the screen, his face falling and his heart almost beating out of his chest when he read it. “You’re pregnant?!”

Nodding, Loki’s smile faltered when he saw that Thor didn’t really seem to be happy. “...Are you happy?”

Thor could hear the doubt and fear in Loki’s voice and instantly felt guilty about his reaction, quickly rushing to reassure him. “Of course I’m happy! I’m very happy love, I’m just shocked.” He sat down next to Loki on their bed and pulled the omega into a warm embrace, kissing his brow gently. “I’m very happy.”

Shoulders sagging in relief, Loki wrapped his own arms around Thor, inhaling his comforting scent. “I made an appointment with my OBGYN for 3 later today. Would you like to come with me?”

Thor was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Loki was pregnant, and blinked a few times and babbled, rushing to say yes when he saw Loki’s happy smile falter again. “Yes, yes I want to go with you.”

Loki seemed to not believe him, so Thor sighed, setting the pregnancy test down and taking Loki’s hands. “Loki, I’m happy you’re pregnant. We decided together that we wanted to have a baby soon after marrying, and I don’t regret making that decision. I’m just  _ nervous _ . A year ago, I didn’t have you, and now I do, and just after I got you, I found out you’re having our child. I’m honestly still trying to wrap my head around it.”

Frowning deeply, Loki took his hands out of Thor’s, looking away from the alpha’s concerned gaze. “I really wish you would’ve been honest with me about starting a family, Thor. I-I know you’re nervous, and I am too, but I would’ve been perfectly fine with waiting until you were ready.”

Now Thor was horrified, as the last thing he wanted was for Loki to be hurting and feeling alone. “Shit, Loki, I’m sorry. I said that all wrong. I  _ do _ want a family. I  _ want _ this child. And I  _ want _ this life that we’re building together. But that doesn’t mean that any shock or nervousness goes away when I get news like this. I promise you that I’m happy, and that I wanted this with you. Please believe me.”

The look in Thor’s eyes was so sincere and trusting, and it broke down any of the walls of protection that Loki put up. Thor was trying so hard to reassure him, and he knew that deep down, the alpha did care. Thor originally didn’t want children, and he didn’t even want to be married. But he’d been patient, and Thor ended up proposing sooner than he believed he would. He knew that if he gave Thor some time to accept that they were having a baby, the alpha would come around and be truly happy.

He finally relaxed, and looked away, nodding to himself. “Alright… well I’m going to lay down until it’s time to leave for my appointment.”

Getting up so that Loki could settle himself in bed, Thor grabbed the tests from the comforter of their bed and sighed softly, looking at them again. The alpha didn’t notice the hurt look Loki shot him when he heard Thor sigh, and the alpha left the room, wanting to preserve the tests for memories. He knew that Loki would want this, and placed the tests in Ziploc bags, storing them in a drawer in their dresser for now. “I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go, love. Please let me know if you need anything.”

Loki was being swallowed by blankets, only his nose and mouth peeking out from under them. “... I will.” Thor thought he looked adorable, but could still sense that Loki was hurt by his initial words and reaction. He sighed again and sat down next to Loki on the bed, a comforting hand on the omega’s hip. “Loki, I’m happy. I don’t want you to feel like I’m not. Please don’t confuse my nervousness for frustration or irritability.”

Readjusting himself a bit in the bed, Loki moved the blanket from his eyes, allowing his entire face to poke out of the blanket cocoon he was in. “I know, Thor. But… even though you originally didn’t want marriage or a family, and even though I know that you’ve come around to these things, I can’t help but feel like I forced you into this life with me.”

It hurt Thor to hear this, as this was the last thing he wanted Loki to feel. “Loki… Loki I love you. I  _ wanted _ to marry you, and although it took me some time to come around to the idea of children, I want them with you. If I didn’t want to be married, I wouldn’t have proposed to you as early as I did, and I would’ve been insistent that you remain on birth control if I didn’t want children.”

Loki remained silent, so Thor continued to speak, not wanting the omega’s mind to immediately go to the worst-case scenario. “Loki, I’ve been alone for a long time. And I thank the Norns every day that I have you. And I’m thankful that we’re embarking on this journey together, to start a family. But… I’m still  _ nervous.  _ I wonder if I’ll be a good father to this child, if they’ll even love me, if I’ll even be able to connect to them. And although these fears exist in my heart, it doesn’t mean that I’m not excited.”

The omega had no idea Thor felt this way, and looked up at him, reaching a hand out from his mound of blankets to hold one of Thor’s. “Alpha… you didn’t know if you’d be a good boyfriend. But you took the leap, and asked me to date you. Then, you didn’t know if you’d be a good husband, but you took that leap and proposed. Now that you’re going to be a father, you can take that same leap, and trust and believe in yourself. I don’t have a single doubt that you will love this child with everything in you.”

They stared at each other before Thor sighed, looking away for a moment. “Just… just give me some time, love. I assure you that I’m happy, but… I’m nervous too. And it will take some time for me to overcome that.”

Trusting that Thor meant what he said, Loki nodded, settling back into bed and drawing his hand back. “I understand. I believe you.”

Thor was relieved to hear this, and leaned forward to kiss Loki gently before getting up to leave the room. His head was still swirling from the news that they were having a baby, and he wanted to talk about how he felt with Freyr. It’d been a few weeks since the pair had spoken, and he knew that his friend would be able to help him feel more secure about this situation. Gerd was currently pregnant, so if nothing else, Freyr would understand how he felt.

The guilt that he felt over hurting Loki made him feel frustrated with himself. as he knew that Loki deserved to have someone that  _ was _ happy in every way, and he wanted to be that for him.

Stepping out of their bedroom, Thor made his way downstairs and out to the back of the home, where his office was. The last thing he wanted was for Loki to overhear what he was saying, and he sighed deeply before settling into his office chair, calling his friend.

The man picked up on the third ring and answered, always happy to speak to his friend. “Thor! How are you?”

“I’m fine.” Murmured the alpha, running a hand through his hair. “How’s Gerd?”

“She’s doing better. The doctor gave her some medicine to curb the morning sickness, so she’s back at work.”

“Loki’s in the same boat,” Admitted Thor. “We just found out he’s pregnant today.”

Freyr inhaled sharply, beginning to laugh. “Norns! How do you feel?”

“Nervous.  _ Scared _ even,” Thor confessed, feeling terribly guilty. “He knows this, and he feels like he guilt-tripped me into agreeing to start a family. I apologized, and I explained that this wasn’t how I felt, but… I don’t know, Freyr. I thought I would have more time.”

His friend tutted, his tone gentle. “Thor… if you weren’t truly ready to have a family, you shouldn’t have told him that. I’m certain that terminating the pregnancy is something neither of you are willing to do, so all you can do is accept your reality. You’re  _ going _ to be a father. And as long as you try your best, Loki will be happy. That’s all he’s wanting. For you to  _ try _ .”

Thor felt even guiltier for jumping the gun about starting a family, and groaned, beginning to understand why he was so hesitant about children. “I hate to bring this up, but… I think I’m so scared to have children because of Jane.”

Freyr sighed deeply then. “Thor… Loki isn’t Jane. He’s proven that to you time and time again. Has the man ever done anything to ever intentionally hurt you, or make you feel like he can’t be trusted?”

“No… he hasn’t.”

“So  _ trust _ him. He isn’t Jane. You made a vow to love him and love him forever, and you swore that you would try. He’s trusting and believing in you, and I’m certain that he feels some levels of insecurity because of the age gap between you two. You’re  _ married _ now, Thor. That’s a deep level of commitment. And you owe it to him and yourself to always be open and honest with him.”

Thor knew Freyr was right. “I know. I just feel terrible, Freyr.”

“You did it to yourself, Thor. I hate to say it but you did. If you weren’t ready to start a family, then you should’ve been completely honest with your spouse. And now he’s hurting. Go fix this.”

Frowning even deeper, Thor sighed, knowing that he needed to be honest with Loki. He ended his call with Freyr and truly thought about his feelings, wanting to plan out what he was going to say to Loki. 

The thought of being an elderly parent to young children scared him, as he didn’t want to die before being able to see at least his first grandchild. But knowing that he  _ was _ going to be a father in a few months was terrifying to him. He didn’t enjoy being around children, he didn’t really understand them, and he’d never really been interested in them. Then he’d met Loki, and he’d wanted to give him the world. And once he accepted that he wanted to marry him and spend the rest of his life with him, he just accepted that this meant children too.

He understood on some level that Loki would never be happy with him if they didn’t have children, and because of this understanding, he believed that he would just come around to the idea of having children. While he didn’t doubt that he would come around to the idea, the thought of being a father still scared him. Being a father was uncharted territory, and even if he did all the research in the world, that didn’t mean that he  _ would  _ be a good father. 

Thoughts like this swirled around in his head, and it wasn’t until his alarm went off on his phone that he realized that he needed to wake Loki up for his appointment. Trudging upstairs, Thor gently shook Loki awake once he entered their bedroom, and smiled softly when Loki began to wake up, leaning forward to kiss his forehead. “Love? It’s time to wake up for your appointment.”

Groaning loudly, Loki frowned and rolled over onto his back, stretching out in the bed. “Is it?”

“Yes. Do you need help changing?”

Loki sighed and shook his head, slowly sitting up. “Can you get me a Gatorade?”

“Of course.” Thor stood up and left the room, making his way down to their kitchen, and getting Loki his drink. By the time he made it back upstairs, Loki was already dressed, and ready to go. He was sitting on the edge of their bed and looking down at the floor, and it was seeing him like this that really broke Thor’s heart. He hated that Loki now felt guilty about being pregnant because of him, and made his way over to him, sitting down. “Hey… Loki, I’m sorry.”

Loki wordlessly took the Gatorade from Thor’s hands and opened it, taking a few sips before replying. “I shouldn’t have been that insistent with you. I knew that you weren’t ready to start a family, and I shouldn't have said anything for a few years.”

Thor didn’t want Loki to think this way, and reached out, a calming hand on his thigh. “Loki, this isn’t your fault. And I don’t want you to think this. My relationship with Jane messed me up in more ways than one, and when I proposed to you, I thought that I had let go of her completely. And… I’m beginning to realize that this isn’t true.”

Loki drew back like he’d been stricken, and tossed Thor’s hand off of him, a soul-crushing hurt in his eyes. “What are you trying to say? That you’re still in  _ love _ with her? Am I not enough?”

“Shit, Loki, no, no, that’s not what I meant!” Rushed Thor, his heart breaking when Loki slapped his hand away. “That is  _ not _ what I meant.”

The omega didn’t want to hear it, and stood up, grabbing his phone. “You know what? Stay here. I’m going to my appointment alone.”

Reaching out to grab Loki’s hand, Thor stood up hurriedly when Loki snatched it away, following him out of their room. “Loki! Wait!”

Loki ignored him and rushed downstairs and out of the home, unlocking his car. He was too hurt and too upset to see reason, and wanted nothing to do with his alpha at the moment. “Go  _ away _ !”

“Loki, that’s ridiculous! I’m not missing the first appointment of our child!” He felt terrible that he managed to hurt Loki this much, and tried to reassure him that he did love him. “I-”

“You don’t even want this baby! Do you really think I’m going to just be okay in a marriage where my husband loves someone from 20 years ago, being the only one that’s excited about my pregnancy?! Leave me  _ alone _ !” He was seeing red by this point, and managed to open the door to his car, glaring fiercely at the alpha. “I don’t want to see you right now! And I’ll be damned if me seeing our child for the first time is tainted because you aren’t happy, and still in love with your ex!”

Attempting to reach out again, Thor snatched his hand away when Loki slammed the door to his car shut, and called out to him again, cursing when Loki pulled out of their driveway. He couldn’t believe that he said what he said the way he did, and was beating himself up over and over again for hurting Loki. They’d never got into an argument as bad as this one, and he was frustrated beyond belief.

He was missing the first appointment of their child, and although he was terrified at the prospect of being a father, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to be involved in the pregnancy, and it didn’t mean that he wanted nothing to do with their baby. He  _ wanted _ to celebrate with Loki, he wanted to be proud of this milestone, and he wanted to be there every step of the way. He knew if he would’ve been honest with Loki about that, then the events of the past few minutes wouldn’t have happened the way they did.

Heading back inside to grab his keys, Thor got in his car and drove to Loki’s OBGYN, determined to mend things. He refused to let Loki be there alone, and didn’t want to miss possibly seeing their child for the first time. Thoughts of how he could’ve said things better or been more honest from the beginning ran rampant through his mind, and as he arrived at Loki’s doctor, he prayed that the omega hadn’t been called back yet.

Rushing into the doors of the office, Thor was crestfallen when he didn’t see Loki in the reception area, and rushed to the receptionist, his heart pounding anxiously. “Excuse me, is there a Loki Laufeyson here? He’s my wife.”

The receptionist typed Loki’s name into a computer and hummed softly, nodding her head. “Yes. It looks like he was taken back for a urine sample and a blood sample a few minutes ago. He’s currently waiting on an exam room to open up. I can buzz you through now.” 

Thor almost fainted in relief, as he would never forgive himself if he missed Loki’s appointment because of an argument. “Norns, thank you.” Waiting for the receptionist to buzz him through, Thor sped through the door once it was opened, rushing towards the waiting room. He was thankful to see that Loki was still in the waiting area, and strode in, noticing the way Loki glared at him. Behind all the omega’s anger, he could see his hurt, and it tore him to pieces to know that he hurt Loki this much. He was thankful that the seat next to him was empty, and sat down next to him, seeing that he was filling out a chart that checked all of his symptoms. “How are you feeling?”

Although he had a pounding headache, and felt nauseous beyond belief, he was too excited about this appointment to let he and Thor’s argument take that excitement away. “I’m  _ fine _ .”

A door leading to the examination rooms opened then, and a cheery nurse looked out at the waiting room, trying to find Loki. “Mr. Laufeyson?”

Loki stood up then, and made his way over to the door, slightly annoyed that Thor tagged along. He knew Thor didn’t want this baby, and he didn’t want him in the room if this was truly something that the alpha didn’t want. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass both of them by arguing in front of everyone, and he decided that he would just ignore his husband, and focus on the baby.

He knew it was immature to ignore Thor, but he honestly was too hurt and too upset to speak to him right now. This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life, and instead, it was one of the worst. He didn’t want it to keep going in that direction.

After being led to a room, Loki sat down on the examination table and answered all of the questions the nurse asked him, looking away from his husband when Thor sighed and began to massage at his shoulders. “Don’t touch me.”

“Loki, when I said I was hesitant to have children because of Jane, I didn’t mean that I was still in love with her.”

“Then what did you mean?” Spat Loki, turning to glare at Thor fiercely. “I’m  _ not _ her! Never once have I done anything that would suggest I have tendencies like that, and all I’m asking is for you to love me, and support me! If you didn’t want to have a baby this soon, you should’ve told me!”

“And you’re absolutely right,” Sighed Thor, coming around so that he could take Loki’s hands in his. “But this is a fear that I can only overcome by diving into the water. If we waited, we would’ve been waiting forever, because I always would’ve been scared. And then I’d be too old, and I really wouldn’t have wanted children.”

Loki was glaring up at him, but remained silent, so Thor knew he had one chance and one chance only to explain himself. “Loki, I’m a fearful man. As confident as I can be, there are many things in this life that scare me. Becoming a parent is something that I can’t predict. I don’t know how good of a parent I’ll be. I can read all the books, I can go to every seminar, and our child will be born, and I could still be the worst parent. And that scares me.”

Loki honestly didn’t like hearing that Thor was this terrified about becoming a father, and frowned deeply, continuing to stare up at him. “Don’t you think that I’m scared? I don’t have kids, I come from the  _ shittiest _ family, and I have no one to look up to, to guide me through this process. But I want this baby. I know I’ll mess up a million times, and I won’t always get it right. But all that matters is me trying. And that’s all I want from you.”

Staring deeply into Loki’s eyes, and seeing his spouse so honest and vulnerable let him know that he needed to do the same. “And you’re right.” He sighed again then, bringing Loki’s knuckles to his mouth to kiss. “Loki, I’m sorry for hurting you, and letting my fear get in the way of this excitement. This is a moment that I want us to share together. I want to be there for you every step of this pregnancy. I want to go to the appointments, the classes, I want to draw baths for you when you’re hurting, and I want to be as supportive and as involved as I possibly can. And I mean this.”

The omega knew enough about Thor to know that he meant this, and relaxed, accepting Thor’s hug, and allowing himself to be pulled into the alpha’s arms.

“Loki, I love you. And I want to build a life with you. I’ll work on my fear, and not letting it control me, and… and know that I do want this child. Okay?” He pulled back to stare at Loki, and was relieved when Loki leaned forward to kiss him, returning his kiss. “I love you, and I am happy. I want this, and I want it with you.”

They stared at each other for a bated breath before Loki nodded, closing his eyes when Thor kissed him again. “I-I trust you.”

His doctor knocked politely then, so Loki called for him to come in, relieved that Thor opened up to him and was completely honest. Of course, he still wanted to speak to the alpha about Jane, as he refused to let that be a point of contention in their marriage any longer. “Hello, doctor.”

“Hello, Loki. It’s a pleasure to see you again. We looked at the results of your blood test, and can confirm that you’re 9 weeks pregnant. Your hCG levels  _ are _ quite high, though.”

Thor narrowed his eyes at the doctor, worried that something was wrong with Loki or the child. “What does that mean? Are they okay?”

Laughing gently, Loki’s doctor nodded, beginning to patiently explain it to the couple. “Human chorionic gonadotropin, commonly referred to as hCG, is a hormone produced by the body during implantation. It is usually high between weeks 8 and 11, before lowering for the remainder of the pregnancy.” His doctor then asked Loki to lie back on the examination table then, gently pulling up his shirt. “And I would like to show you why it’s so high right now.”

Loki shot Thor a nervous look, reaching out to take his hand. “Is something wrong with me? Or the baby?”

“No, not at all.” Assured the doctor, preparing the ultrasound machine. “You have nothing to be worried about.”

This helped Loki and Thor relax, and together they stared at the ultrasound screen when the doctor applied the gel and ran the probe along the lower end of his stomach. “This is why your hCG levels are so high.”

The pair inhaled sharply, and Thor felt like he was going to faint. “A-Are there…?”

Loki felt the same, his eyes as wide as saucers. “I-I’m having  _ twins _ ?!”

“Yes,” Laughed his doctor, a gentle smile on his face. “You’re carrying fraternal twins. Congratulations!” 

They couldn’t help but stare at the screen in shock, blown away by this news. Loki couldn’t believe that he was carrying twins, and tried to wrap his head around it, nervous sweat beginning to form at his brow. “I-I’m really having twins?”

“Yes. And because of the blood test you submitted, we are able to determine both sexes of these children. A mother carries their child’s DNA in their blood.”

Thor was still trying to process the fact that they were having twins, and blinked rapidly in confusion, shocked that the doctor already knew what sexes their children were. “What?”

“I understand that the current trend is throwing a big “reveal” party, for the sexes. But because of the blood test you submitted, we already know the sexes. If you’d like me to write them down for you to give to someone trusted so that you can form a reveal party, then I’m more than willing to do so.” His doctor snapped a few shots of the twins and printed out a few ultrasounds, mildly amused by the pair’s reactions.

Thor knew that he needed to be attentive to Loki - he didn’t want the omega thinking he wasn’t excited - and rubbed at the back of his hand with his thumb, hoping to soothe his fears. “Love? Would you like to know their sexes?”

Carefully wiping off the ultrasound gel, Loki sat up, taking a picture from the ultrasound in his hands and looking down at it. “I-I don’t know. I can’t believe we’re having twins. I don’t know what to do.”

His doctor didn’t seem surprised, and wrote something down, folding up the paper. “I’ve written down the sexes here. When you’re ready, unfold this paper and you’ll know. Do either of you have any questions for me?”

“When would you like to see him back?” Asked Thor, stepping closer to Loki and wrapping a stabilizing arm around his shoulders. “And are there any risks with this pregnancy, since he’s carrying twins?”

“Yes. I would like to see Loki every three weeks, and then every two weeks for his second trimester, as well as every week for his third. The absolute  _ latest _ Loki should work is 26 weeks. After this, he should take maternity leave. Because he is carrying twins, it is considered a high-risk pregnancy. We want to monitor him closely.”

Thor nodded, knowing that they would do whatever the doctor wanted them to do. “Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor shook the pairs’ hands and left the room after congratulating them again, and once he was gone Loki laughed in disbelief, looking down at himself. “Twins? We’re having  _ twins _ , Thor! I can’t believe this!” He looked up at his husband then, a soft smirk on his face. “This is your fault. Who knew your little swimmers were so potent?”

Snorting, Thor reached out and rubbed at Loki's side, relieved that they made up. “I’m sorry. I knew twins and triplets ran in the family, I just thought I was in the clear since my own mother never had any.”

Loki looked down again and patted at his small pudge, beginning to imagine how large he was going to get. “Well, I guess we might as well find out what we’re having. The anticipation is killing me.” 

Thor was the one holding the paper, and shifted so that he and Loki would see the results at the same time. Very carefully, he unfolded the paper, and laughed softly when they read it together, feeling a tug at his heartstrings. “A boy and a girl.”

“And they’re both omegas,” Murmured Loki, a soft hand resting on his stomach. “Norns…”

Although they were both surprised and filled with shock, the pair understood that they would make this work. Nervousness aside, they each felt a level of happiness and mild anticipation of the future, and everything that would come with it.

  
  


✬⭒✭⭒✮


	15. You've Got to Be Kidding Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, EVERYONE!!!!
> 
> I"m back, LOL!
> 
> So sorry for the long hiatus, things happened in life. When I am not sure about where I want to take a story, I take a break for as long as necessary until I can figure out where I want the story to go. I want to be proud of what I write and what I put out, and up until this point the things that I was coming up with for this story were things that I believed just wouldn't work. But now I have a better grasp at where I want to take this story and how I want it to end, so expect an update at LEAST once a month.
> 
> I also had a personal death in the family, and just took a month off from any writing to deal with it. I'm also a student and work full time, so those take up most of my time.
> 
> ANYHOO, here's the long awaited chapter! 
> 
> I hope you love just as much as I do :D

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After leaving Loki’s doctor appointment the pair drove back to their home, with Thor making sure Loki was settled comfortably in bed once they returned. The omega was still feeling unwell, but they’d gotten some medicine from the pharmacist, and hoped that it would help him feel better by the time they left for their flight in the morning. His parents usually rented out a luxury plane that could fit their entire family - aunts, uncles, and cousins  _ always _ went on these holiday trips - and he was looking forward to being able to spend this Christmas with them all.

Making sure that Loki was asleep before he left, Thor gently closed the door to their bedroom and headed down the hall to what would become the nursery in the home, wanting to be alone. He was still reeling from the news that Loki was pregnant  _ and _ that they were having twins, and because they were both omegas he felt a heightened level of protectiveness over them that he wouldn’t have felt as intensely, otherwise.

Very carefully, Thor sat down on the floor of the room and leaned against a wall, sighing heavily. It was here he remained for quite some time, letting the events of the day wash over him. He thought about his feelings about the pregnancy, about having children, about heading into the next phase of his life, and about the person that Loki deserved.

He  _ hated  _ that he subconsciously anticipated Loki hurting him in the same way that Jane did so long ago, as the omega didn’t deserve that. Loki had been nothing but perfect to him, and he knew that it wasn’t fair that the omega wasn’t receiving every part of him. He began to relax as the minutes passed though, and it dawned on him that this  _ was  _ his new life. It was a life he’d been dreaming of but had been too scared to acknowledge; a life that he originally believed he would never live, and now… now it was a life he  _ wanted  _ to live. He was just…  _ scared _ .

He was terrified of fucking it all up.

And he didn’t want to be. He  _ wanted  _ this new life of happiness with Loki, and he wanted to be happy himself. And when he was with Loki, he was happy.

He  _ needed _ that happiness to not only continue, but to grow, to  _ prosper, _ even, and didn’t want to do a single thing anymore that caused it to dissipate. He wanted to once and for all distance himself from the woman that shattered his heart 20 years ago and just allow himself to enjoy this new life that he had. And he truly desired to enjoy that life with Loki.

He remained in this room for quite some time, thinking over his entire life and his relationship with Loki. He really just wanted Loki to have the best life possible, and he wanted to have the best life possible with Loki.

The door opening and the light turning on in the room surprised him and he looked up when Loki entered the room, one of his many blankets around his shoulders. “Hey. What are you doing in here?”

Thor sighed and watched as Loki sat down next to him, a soft smile spreading across his face when Loki shifted to cover them both with the blanket. “I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“About how unfair I’ve been to you.”

Now it was Loki’s turn to sigh. “I shouldn’t have exploded at you like that earlier. I’m sorry.”

Thor didn’t want Loki to apologize for earlier, as he would’ve reacted explosively as well if he thought Loki was still in love with one of his exes. “I’m not mad at that. You had every right to get upset.” The pair sat in silence for a few seconds before he continued. “And I need you to know that I’m not in love with Jane. The moment I decided I wanted to marry you was the moment I let go of her. Because as cliche as it sounds, I want you to have every part of me.”

Loki leaned his head against Thor’s shoulder and exhaled softly, choosing his next words very carefully. “I don’t think that you’re in love with her, Thor. But… sometimes I feel as if I’m constantly having to prove to you that I won’t hurt you like she did. I want to enjoy our life together, and I don’t want to always worry that I’ll never be enough for you.”

“You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me,” Confessed the alpha, moving to rest a comforting hand on Loki’s thigh. “And I want this happy life with you too.” He looked down at him then, smiling softly. “I love you. And I’m sorry for being an idiot with expressing my emotions. I should’ve explained things clearer to you from the beginning.” Finally, he moved a hand to Loki’s stomach, feeling a jolt run through him when he did so. “And I’m excited to start this journey with you.”

Loki leaned into his touch and smiled as well, relieved that they’d worked hard to come to a common understanding. “I love you too, Thor, and I’m excited to experience this with you.”

They relaxed in each other’s hold for some time in the nursery before heading back to their room and turning in for the night. Their flight was for 5am, so they had to be out of the house by 3am. They were each thankful that they’d made up, and thoughts of the little lives that would depend on them forever ran throughout their minds, the desire to be the best parents that they could be on their minds as they succumbed to sleep.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

The medicine Loki took helped curb most of his pregnancy nausea, but he was still exhausted by the time he and Thor made it to the airport. Frigga was horrified that Loki didn’t feel well and fussed over him the entire flight to Australia, making sure that he was well taken care of and comfortable.

The loving attention made Loki feel touched and appreciated, and he let his mother-in-law know this, a gentle smile spreading across his face when she told him to not worry about a thing, as did many of Thor’s family members.

By the time they made it to Australia Loki was feeling  _ much _ better and looked forward to being on vacation with Thor and his family. They were his family now, and they were wonderful people, so although it hurt that his family wasn’t the same, he was able to brush those thoughts away.

His happiness and sanity meant everything to him, and now that he and Thor were bringing children into this world, he wanted to do whatever he could to protect them. He’d be damned if his family ever hurt his children the way they hurt him and knew that until his family apologized and worked on changing, they would remain out of his life.

Thor’s parents had rented out an entire floor of a resort for their large family, and after having their things brought to their room, Loki and Thor decided to go sightseeing, each of them looking forward to the family dinner tonight. They would be revealing their pregnancy to everyone and although nervous about doing so this early, they were still excited nonetheless. 

Adventuring around Sunshine Coast the entire day had Loki feeling exhausted, so by the time the family dinner rolled around he couldn’t go, feeling too sick. Thor felt terrible that Loki was suffering so much because of the pregnancy and did his best to take care of him, deciding to skip the family dinner and turn in early that night as well.

Christmas morning was spent together in a large auditorium at the resort, and after all of the young children and teenagers opened up their gifts, the adults exchanged theirs, a light-hearted mood spreading throughout the room. Loki had gotten Thor some nice cufflinks, and Thor had gotten him a set of shoes that he’d been wanting, so after receiving each other’s gifts the pair made their way over to Frigga and Odin, who were playing with Hermod’s two children.

Frigga looked up when they came over, a gentle smile on her face. “Thor, Loki. It’s a pleasure to see you. Are you feeling better, Loki dear?”

Loki nodded, sitting down across from the pair. “Much better, thank you for asking.” He looked at Thor next before breaking out into a grin, reaching into his wallet. “Thor and I actually want to show the both of you something, if that’s alright?”

“Of course, dear. What is it?”

Taking out two ultrasound photos, Loki handed one to Frigga and one to Odin, his smile only growing when the pair inhaled quickly in disbelief.

“Y-You’re pregnant?!” Gasped Frigga, looking back down at the ultrasound again. “Norns have mercy! We’ve waited for this day for so long! Oh, come here you two!” Thor and Loki stood and accepted Frigga’s hug, laughing along with her. The woman kissed both of their cheeks,  _ overjoyed  _ by the news. “And you’re having twins! Oh, what a joyous day this is!”

Odin stood as well and hugged the pair, proud that they were embarking on this new phase of life. “That’s wonderful news, you two.”

Frigga squealed and turned around to the rest of the room, spreading her arms out wide. “Everyone! I have just heard the most exciting news! Thor and Loki are expecting!”

The room erupted into cheers, and Thor’s brother Hermod stood up quickly, clasping Thor on the shoulder proudly. “Norns! You’re really starting a family, Thor?”

Thor scratched at his beard, mildly amused by everyone’s reactions. “We are.”

“Well, some practice would do you good. Why don’t you watch over Zion and Amira today?”

Thor knew that his brother only suggested this because he wanted to enjoy the resort alone with his wife for a day and opened his mouth to protest. “I-”

“Oh that’s a wonderful idea!” Interrupted Frigga. “You both need practice! Zion and Amira are the most  _ lovely _ children. Why don’t you and Loki take them for the day? I know there’s a theme park nearby.”

Before Loki could politely refuse, Odin was agreeing too, already gathering the two young children. “This will be good for you both. Take the children for the day.”

Thor and Loki stared at each other in disbelief for a few seconds before begrudgingly agreeing, and were shocked when Hermod immediately deposited his two-year-old son Zion into Thor’s arms. “Well, good luck!”

Thor didn’t really interact with his niece or nephew, and he and the child stared at each other for a few uncomfortable seconds before Zion began to cry, begging for Hermod to take him back. Thor’s eyes widened and he laughed nervously, trying to hand his brother his son back. “I don’t think Zion likes me, Hermod.”

“Well you have to get to know him, Thor. Trust me, take him and his sister out for the day, and experience what it’s like being a parent. They’re awesome kids.” Hermod pinched the cheek of his son, saying goodbye to him. “Have fun!”

Amira warily made her way over to Thor and Loki when she saw that they had her brother and raised a distrusting eyebrow up at them. “I don’t want to hang out with Uncle Thor. He’s mean!”

This just made Zion cry more, and Loki and Thor stared at Thor’s family like they were crazy, in complete disbelief that they really believed taking care of the kids for the day would help anyone. Thor awkwardly put Zion down on the ground and took Loki’s hand, getting ready to make a run for it. “Well, that didn’t go as planned. I am sure there are  _ numerous  _ classes that Loki and I can take to introduce us to the idea of having children. Uh, Loki isn’t feeling well, so we’ll see all of you for dinner to-”

“ _ Nonsense _ , Thor.” Laughed his mother, shooting down his attempt to flee. “What’s the harm in watching the children for the day? It will be wonderful for you and Loki, and it will help Hermod and his wife. You’ll need them to help you once you have your children.”

He  _ really _ didn’t want to spend the day with his niece and nephew, but he understood why his family were attempting to do this. They meant well, so he looked down at Loki, searching his gaze and silently gaining his permission before agreeing to his family’s demands. “... _ Fine _ . We’ll watch your children for the day.”

“ _ Splendid _ . I hope all of you have a  _ lovely _ time at the park,” Announced Thor’s mother, bending over to kiss the cheeks of her grandchildren. “Make sure you’re good for Uncle Thor and Aunt Loki! I want you both to be on your best behavior while you’re with them. Understood?”

The children muttered out a measly “Yes, Grandma…” and frowned, warily looking up at Loki and Thor.

The pair stared right back at the kids, not exactly sure how to do this. Loki figured that since the kids were already dressed and ready to go, they might as well head out to the theme park. Hermod and his wife gave them the carseats for the children once they made it to their car, so after getting them settled into the car, Thor and Loki headed to the theme park in Sunshine Coast, feeling quite uncomfortable.

Thor’s family had just thrust these children into their arms for the day and although they understood that they meant well, neither of them had ever really spent time with Hermod’s children - or children in general - so the car ride there was quite awkward.

Thor didn’t even know how to take care of kids and nervously looked in the rearview mirror, seeing that both children looked bored. “Uh… Amira, would you and your brother like to listen to some music?”

The four-year-old perked up, beginning to get excited. “Can we listen to kidz bop?”

“What the hell is “kidz” bop?” Murmured Thor, raising a confused eyebrow at Loki.

Loki shrugged his shoulders and pulled out his phone, quickly pulling it up. “It looks like it’s a kids’ album where kids sing songs.” He quickly pulled up an album and connected his phone to the bluetooth of the car, playing one of the songs from the album.

It seemed to be a song from some children’s movie, and this immediately lifted the moods of the children, as they sang along and danced in their carseats, which made Thor and Loki sigh in relief.

“Aunt Loki, you and Uncle Thor have to sing too!” Announced Amira, crossing her arms. “Mommy and Daddy always sing!”

Thor snorted in disbelief, looking at his niece in the rearview mirror. “Uh, I am  _ not _ -”

Loki gripped at his thigh then dangerously then, shooting daggers his way. “ _ Sing. _ If these kids start crying they won’t stop.”

The kids were looking at them expectantly, so Thor sighed deeply, listening to the words of the song so that he could sing along with Loki. This seemed to put the children in a happier mood, and they sang together all the way to the theme park, only stopping when Thor parked and turned off the car. After exiting their vehicle, Thor and Loki unstrapped the children from their carseat and began to set up their stroller. “Alright you two, stay still.”

“Nu-uh!” Laughed Zion, beginning to run away once Thor set him on the ground. “Catch me!”

Loki quickly reached out and snatched Zion by the arm before he could run out into the middle of the street, his heart almost beating out of his chest. “Zion! You can’t just run around! It’s dangerous!” Zion’s lower lip began to quiver, so Loki panicked, quickly picking him up and trying to soothe him. “Running out into the middle of the street is dangerous, Zion. You have to stay next to me or Uncle Thor, alright?”

This only made the toddler tear up even more, and he began to cry, his face turning red. “I-I wanna run!”

Shooting Thor a worried look, Loki patted at Zion’s back, shushing him gently. “Can we run later, Zion? How about we ride some fun rides in the meantime? Want to ride some rides?”

Zion’s tears dried up immediately and he began to laugh, clapping his hands. “Rides!”

Relieved that he got the toddler to stop crying, Loki sighed, patting at the boy’s small back. “Let’s get you in the stroller, Zion.”

“No! I don’t wanna! I wanna walk!”

Loki and Thor’s patience was running thin and the omega sighed, giving Zion a stern look. “If you walk next to us, you’re not allowed to run away. If you do, you’ll be in the stroller the entire time. Understood?”

Zion nodded, so Loki warily set him down on the ground, relieved when he didn’t run away. Now that he’d been taken care of, he checked over Amira, not surprised when she wanted to walk next to them too instead of riding in the stroller. 

“Should we even bring the stroller?” Asked Thor, a small frown on his face. “They don’t want to sit in it.”

“We might as well,” Sighed Loki, slightly annoyed that Hermod’s children had been forced upon them on  _ Christmas _ . “They might get tired of walking.”

Thor really didn’t want to push an empty stroller around the park and huffed, his frown only growing. “Can’t we just carry them when they get tired?”

“I suppose we can.” Answered Loki, waiting for Thor to put the stroller back into their car. “Worst case scenario, we come back out to the car to get it.”

“Can we ride the rides now?” Asked Hermod’s daughter Amira, pulling at Loki’s pant leg. “I wanna ride the rides.”

“I wanna ride the rides too!” Announced Zion, getting excited all over again. 

Thor exhaled softly and gestured for everyone to follow him into the park, keeping a careful eye on the children. “Alright, stay close to me or Aunt Loki, okay?” 

The children grinned and promised that they would, so together the family made their way into the park and bought express passes which allowed them to skip the lines, and headed to the children’s section of the park, immediately spotting a children’s roller coaster that was a giant caterpillar. 

“Ooo! Let’s ride that one!” Begged Amira, pointing at the ride and taking Loki’s hand. “Please?” She had the sweetest smile on her face, and it admittedly made Loki smile softly too. “Sure, sweetheart.” She and her brother cheered, and began to run towards the ride, shouting for Thor and Loki to hurry up.

The pair laughed softly and rushed to follow the children, Thor sitting with Zion, and Loki sitting with Amira. The children seemed quite excited to be here, and their excitement was infectious. Thor found that the children cheering and shouting happily when the ride started made him smile, and he cheered along with them, surprised that he did so.

Similar things continued to happen as the family rode more rides together, and when it was time for lunch, Thor felt more relaxed around the children. They didn’t seem as scary or unmanageable as he believed them to be, and he began to realize that children were just incredibly upright and honest. If they were tired, hurting, hungry, or sad, they would tell you, and were expecting you to help them feel better again.

Spending the day with his niece and nephew was an interesting day for him, and after they rode all the children’s rides twice and grabbed a snack for the children, he and Loki decided that it would be a good time to leave. The children were quite tired and were beginning to get cranky. After settling them into their carseats, Thor and Loki climbed into their car and left the theme park, relieved that the children were dozing off to sleep. 

“You know, I was pretty upset with your family for forcing Hermod’s children on us. But… I guess I understand why they did what they did. I had fun today.” Confessed Loki, relaxing back into his seat and closing his eyes. “I was quite nervous, but being out with them helped me feel better about becoming a parent, in a strange way.”

Thor hummed softly, making sure to keep his voice low. The last thing he wanted was to wake the children. “I honestly feel the same. In the beginning I was quite frustrated, and nervous… I didn’t want to be the reason something bad happened to them. But being around them today helped me feel more comfortable around children, and I honestly don’t feel as scared about becoming a parent either.”

This put a smile on Loki’s face, and the omega shot Thor a relieved look. “I’m happy to hear that, Thor. I know that fatherhood scares you, but I really believe that we can do this. We can’t learn everything about being a parent before they get here of course, but… that doesn’t mean we’ll be bad parents. We’ll figure it out as we go, just like everyone else.”

This gave Thor many things to think about, and he thought heavily about the future and their children on the ride back to the resort. Spending the day with the children and just letting loose, as well as  _ enjoying _ the day for everything it had to offer was quite rewarding, and although their day had some outbursts and minor tantrums, it wasn’t a bad day.

He and Loki put the children in their stroller and grabbed their carseats from their car, carefully taking them into the resort and up to Hermod’s room. His brother seemed pleased to see that the children were asleep and picked up his son, kissing his cheek gently. “I assume the day went well?”

“It did,” Answered Thor, setting down the children’s car seats on the ground. “They were very well behaved.”

“I’m happy to hear that. How was getting a dose of parenthood, Loki?”

“It wasn’t…  _ terrible _ . I enjoyed my day.” He raised an amused eyebrow at the alpha then. “Though, the next time you want us to watch your kids, we’ll need a 72 hour advanced notice. If not, Thor and I are dropping off the twins  _ whenever _ we want.”

Hermod let out a hearty laugh, completely understanding. “This was all my mother's idea. And you know how she is; once her mind is made up about something, no one can change it.”

“Well, at least we know where Thor got it from,” Snorted Loki, playfully pinching at his husband’s side. “But I am serious, Hermod. The  _ next _ time you and your wife drop your kids off without a 72 hour warning, I’m taking the twins and dropping them off with you  _ whenever _ I want.”

Hermod knew Loki well enough by now to know that he was serious, and he laughed again, taking the threat to heart. “Well I know you both had a long day, and I don’t want to keep either of you up any longer. I’ll see you both on the beach tomorrow for the family cookout.”

Thor and Loki bid Hermod a goodnight and left his suite, returning to theirs and groaning in relief when they collapsed onto the bed, each of them exhausted from the day.

“I don’t know how we’re going to do this every day, Loki.” Sighed Thor, the stress from the day beginning to set in. 

Loki let out a breathless laugh, closing his eyes and sinking back into the bed even more. “We have 6 or 7 months to get used to it.”

Thor inhaled sharply and sat up, staring down at Loki in horror. “6 or 7  _ months _ ?! I-I thought that people were pregnant for 9 months!”

Biting back a laugh, Loki shot Thor an amused look, beginning to explain. “I’m nine weeks, Thor.”

Thor blinked rapidly in confusion, processing this. “...You’re two months pregnant? We’ve only been married for a month and a half! When did you-”

“They count two weeks before conception, Thor.” Answered Loki, patiently explaining this to the alpha. “I didn’t take my birth control implant out until the week of our wedding, so… we probably conceived them on or before our wedding night.”

Thor was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that they would be parents in 6-7 months and shook his head slowly in disbelief. “Why would they come in 6 months?”

“Pregnancies with twins don’t always last 40 weeks, alpha. I’m carrying omegas, so I’ll most likely make it to 40 weeks. You have nothing to worry about.”

Gulping nervously, Thor lied back down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. “That’s fucking terrifying.”

Loki wasn’t upset with Thor for being worried, as he understood the alpha enough by now to not be too concerned. In the span of a year, Thor went from being adamant about not having a wife and kids, to having both, and on some level Loki could understand that the alpha was just scared about fucking it up. He rolled over and nestled against Thor’s side, hoping to calm him some. “Just take it day by day, alpha. When we get home we can take some parenting classes; I’m  _ certain _ that this will help you feel better.”

Thor loved when Loki called him this and pulled him closer, kissing his brow. “Please. I can’t go into this blind.”

“Why don’t we find some classes now, and sign up for them before bed?” Suggested Loki, looking up at his husband. He’d been around the alpha long enough to know that Thor responded well to structure and order, regardless of who created it. When he’d been the alpha’s assistant, he created his itineraries by hour, day, week, and month. Thor’s productivity shot through the roof when Loki was his assistant, so he figured that applying this logic to things that made Thor nervous or unsure was a good place to start. “Why don’t we read a bit about pregnancy, too? We don’t know too much, and learning might help us feel better about it all.”

It was moments like this that made Thor count his blessings that he was with someone as amazing and perfect as Loki. The omega always knew what to say and what to do to help him get out of his head, and he hugged the omega close, thankful to have him. “Norns, you’re perfect.”

Being complimented by Thor was something he would never get tired of, and he grinned as the alpha kissed his temple, wrapping his arms around the man and hugging him tight. “We’ll arm ourselves with information so that we won’t go into this blind.”

Thor agreed, kissing Loki’s temple again. “Let’s relax in the bath for a bit, first. I need the aqua jets right now.”

Loki snorted, pulling away from Thor and getting up from the bed. “You’re so spoiled.” Loki hadn’t even experienced the aqua jets in a bathtub until he started dating Thor, and he often found it amusing to tease Thor about “spoiled” or “rich” experiences that Thor had that weren’t always universal. “Those aqua jets do sound nice, though.”

Thor hummed in agreement and followed Loki into their suite’s bathroom, stripping from the day and climbing into the warm water.

Once they were in, Loki immediately settled himself between Thor’s thighs, leaning back against the alpha’s chest and resting his head on his shoulder. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around how huge I’m going to get. I’m already having trouble fitting into my jeans.”

Thor moved his hand to Loki’s flat stomach, pinching at it playfully. “Well you’re not showing now, and you’re carrying omegas. You might not get as big as you think you will.”

Loki found a soft smile spreading across his face as Thor continued to rest his hand on his stomach, taking this as a personal victory. It seemed like the alpha was warming up to the idea of the pregnancy, and for this, Loki was thankful. “I hope you’ll still love me as I get larger.”

The omega played this off as a joke, but Thor could hear the minute fear in his voice. He pulled Loki closer and kissed at his bondmark on his neck, hoping to soothe him. “Loki… you sacrificing your body to carry our children will never make me look at you in disgust. I’ll love every inch of you 6 months from now just as much as I love every inch of you now.”

Hearing this made Loki more emotional than he wanted, and he tried to laugh, his smile wavering. “I-I know. I-I just… I know how my brothers were with their wives. And I’ve heard how my father was with my mother. It’s been ingrained in me that alphas just didn’t care, and were turned off by all of this. I-I know you’re different, but… I guess I’m still scared that you’re going to feel that way, too.”

“Loki,” Murmured Thor, pressing another warm kiss against the omega’s bond mark. “That will never happen.” He hugged the omega tightly then, kissing his bond mark again. “Trust me, Loki. My love for you isn’t going to change because you’re pregnant, and my affection and attraction isn’t going to change, either.”

Thor saying these things was all the reassurance that Loki needed, and he smiled softly, relaxing in Thor’s touch.

This new stage in their lives was something that neither of them had ever experienced before, but… they would embark on it together.

They were ready for this.

And they had each other.

✬⭒✭⭒✮


	16. Babies!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!!!!
> 
> Here's the long awaited chapter!!!! Babies are here!!!

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Pregnancy for Loki was… interesting, to say the least. 

He was currently 21 weeks -five months- pregnant, and had  _ definitely _ popped. He’d put on about 22 pounds and was  _ all _ stomach. Thor ended up having to take him out to get a new wardrobe every month since he was growing so fast, and sometimes he couldn’t believe that they were 3-4 months away from bringing the twins into this world.

This morning he found himself staring at himself in the mirror after he got out of the shower, looking at his body from every angle. He wasn’t used to being this  _ big _ and frowned, examining the stretch marks on the underside of his stomach. He didn’t regret choosing to start a family with Thor but  _ Norns _ !

A fierce kick to the left side of his stomach made him laugh, and he placed a gentle hand on his stomach, rubbing a soothing hand over the area. “You guys are so restless this morning.”

Both babies kicked at him at the same time then, which made Loki laugh again. “I can only imagine how energetic you’ll both be when you start crawling and walking.”

He yawned next and exited the bathroom, heading into his closet to find something to wear. Today was a Saturday, so he and Thor were heading to their weekly parenting class. Loki really enjoyed going because he was learning so much from it, and going to these classes allowed Thor and Loki to make some friends. They’d been getting along nicely with the other couples in the class and Loki even spoke to some of the omegas outside of the class and met up for lunch with them, so he was genuinely happy that he could say he actually had friends.

“Loki?” Called out Thor, making his way into Loki’s closet. “Almost ready to go?”

Loki frowned slightly, looking over all of his clothes. “I don’t know what I want to wear.”

Thor stepped further into Loki’s walk in closet and picked up a black shirt, suggesting it to him. “What about this? You like this shirt.”

“No,” Murmured Loki, shaking his head and looking at his clothes again. “That shirt shows off my stomach too much. It makes me feel fat.”

Thor’s face fell when Loki said that and he quickly put the shirt back on the railing in the closet, turning and gently taking Loki’s hands in his. “Loki…”

The omega warily looked up at Thor, feeling impossibly guilty. “I-I know, but… look at me, Thor. I look like I swallowed a bowling ball, and I have these huge stretch marks on my stomach, and this fucking line across my stomach, and-” 

“Loki…” Murmured Thor, gently interrupting him. “You’re not fat. You’re pregnant… you’re going to grow, and that isn’t a bad thing. That means that everything is going good with the pregnancy, right?”

He felt like he cried every day because of this pregnancy and ended up sitting down on a bench in his closet, fighting back frustrated tears. “I-I know that. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not happy with looking like this. I-I mean what if the weight never comes off? What if I stay like this? Stretch marks are permanent, Thor, a-and I’m only going to get more as I get further along in the pregnancy. What, then?”

Thor sat down next to Loki and placed a calming hand on his back, wanting to reassure him. “Then… we’ll get you laser surgery and a tummy tuck, if you want it.” This made Loki laugh softly, so Thor rubbed at his back, trying to make him feel better. “This period of time is temporary, Loki. In 3 or 4 months the twins will be here, and we’ll be so happy and focused on them that everything else won’t matter. I understand you’re not happy with how you look, but… I don’t want you to feel that way, love. You’re handsome, charming, alluring, beautiful, captivating, sexy, and a million and one other things. That doesn’t change just because you’re pregnant.”

This helped him feel a bit better, and he reached out to hug Thor, wanting physical affection. “Norns…”

Thor pulled Loki into his arms and kissed him, not wanting him to doubt himself. “If you’re really that concerned about your body, then let’s make some goals to work on it after you’ve recovered from having the twins. I personally don’t see anything wrong with you, but… if you’re wanting to do everything that you can to return to how you used to look, then we’ll do that.” He kissed Loki again then, not wanting him to think the worst. “And please don’t think that I want you to change. I’m going to love you forever, regardless of how you look. You having stretch marks or wider hips or weighing more isn’t something that will make me less attracted to you.”

“But-”

Thor nipped at Loki’s bondmark playfully, which cut Loki off. “Loki, if I could drop everything and spend the rest of my life in bed fucking you, I would. Your body changing doesn’t disgust me, or make me feel uneasy, or whatever else you think I may be feeling.” He gripped Loki’s ass then and pulled him closer, grinning when the omega shot him a coy smile. “If you need me to kiss you every second of every day to reassure you of this, then I will. Because you’re incredibly attractive to me. And I want you to feel just as attractive as I feel you are.”

Thor’s reassuring words and touches were exactly what Loki needed, and he leaned forward to kiss Thor, his thumb coming to stroke the alpha’s cheek. “Thank you, alpha.”

Placing another reassuring kiss against Loki’s lips, Thor nodded, a calming hand coming to rub at Loki’s stomach. “Everything will be okay, Loki. And when you feel things aren’t okay, tell me. I’m here to love you and support you, omega.”

The pair shared a final kiss before separating, with Loki standing up and reaching for a red, loose fitting top and some comfortable jeans. “I’ll wear this, today. I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

“Take your time,” Assured Thor, standing up as well and kissing Loki’s temple.

He moved to sit on his bed as he waited for Loki and couldn’t help but think about how the omega was feeling. He felt  _ terrible _ that Loki wasn’t happy with how he looked right now, and wanted to do whatever he could to make the omega feel better again. An idea suddenly flashed in his mind though and he quickly pulled out his phone, researching a bit before he spoke to Loki about it.

It wasn’t until they were in their car and on the way to the parenting class that he finally brought it up to the omega. “You know, I learned something really interesting today, omega.”

Loki hummed softly, looking over at him. “Did you?”

“I did. Open up the browser on my phone and read the article that’s up.”

Reaching out, Loki took Thor’s phone and opened up his web browser, reading the title of the article out loud. “‘What your pregnancy weight  _ actually _ is’. Thor-”

“Just read it Loki,” Urged Thor. “Trust me.”

Pursing his lips, Loki scrolled through the article, beginning to read it aloud. “‘Pregnancy weight gain isn’t composed of just fat. At the end of pregnancy, you can expect to have gained at least 30 pounds. And here is the average breakdown of that weight: 1) The average size a an infant is 7.5 pounds 2) A placenta is 1.5 pounds 3) The uterus swells to 2 pounds, generally 4)Amniotic fluid is 2 pounds 5)Fat and nutrient storage, 7-10 pounds 6) Increased fluid volume is 4 pounds 7) Increased blood volume is 4 pounds.’ Norns…” Murmured Loki, reading over the list again.

He felt relief flood through him as he read that all of the weight gain wasn’t  _ just _ fat, and teared up, quickly wiping at his eyes and trying to force back more tears. “Norns…”

Thor looked over at his spouse and frowned, rubbing at his thigh for a moment before turning back to the road. “It’ll be okay, omega. Please don’t cry…”

Loki sniffed and shook his head, putting Thor’s phone down. “I just feel overwhelmed, alpha… I feel relieved that this isn’t all fat, I-I just… I don’t know, I keep hearing my mother’s voice in my head, and I-I know that you love me but I just feel like I look disgusting!”

“Norns, Loki… Loki, you’re not disgusting. I’m not your father or your brothers. Whatever they treated their wives like during their pregnancies doesn’t mean that I will treat you like that.” Assured Thor, moving to rub at Loki’s back as he cried. The omega  _ had _ been infinitely more emotional since he found out he was pregnant, but Thor could understand why this body perception issue was something that he had been struggling with since he started to show. 

“They were just so  _ mean _ to their wives, alpha! They would make cutting remarks about how much weight they put on, or their stretch marks, and they would cheat on them! I-I know you would never do that to me, but there’s this voice in my head that tells me that it  _ could _ happen to me!”

Thor made a face at this. “Loki. Do you hear yourself?”

Loki remained silent, continuing to cry.

“Loki, why would I  _ ever  _ destroy the beautiful union that we have? I understand that you’re scared and you’re fearful, but look at my character, and trust the bond that we have.”

The omega knew that Thor was right, but it was so  _ hard _ to shut that voice off in his head. He felt terrible about upsetting Thor though and took in what he was trying to make a calming breath, wiping at his eyes. “I-I’m sorry. I know you’re different. And I love you because of that. I just feel a lot of things, Thor, and I’m trying to make sense of them.”

“And that’s okay. But trust what you know to be true. You’re handsome, attractive, sexy, intelligent, brilliant, amazing, loving, and so many other things. I’m not your father or your brothers, Loki.”

Loki began to calm down, as he knew that Thor was telling the truth. “I’m sorry, alpha. This pregnancy makes me feel crazy.”

Thor didn’t want Loki to write off his emotions as only being there because of the pregnancy, as he understood that Loki had legitimate concerns about being pregnant because of his upbringing. “It’s okay to be upset or worried, Loki. If you need me to tell you how attractive and amazing you are every day, then I will. Because you are.” He rubbed at Loki’s thigh then, shooting him a soft smile. “I wouldn’t trade you for the world.”

Now Loki was smiling, and he took Thor’s hand, interlocking their fingers. “Thank you, alpha.”

Thor squeezed his hand gently and pulled into a parking place for their parenting class, parking the car before bringing Loki’s knuckles to his mouth to kiss. “I love you, Loki. And you’ve made my life so much better than it was two years ago. I’m happy I’m experiencing these moments with you. You’re not ugly, and you’re not unattractive.” He kissed Loki’s knuckles again, hoping to assure him. “Alright?”

Loki nodded, meeting Thor for a warm kiss. “Thank you, Thor. I couldn’t imagine experiencing my life with anyone but you, either.” The pair kissed again before exiting the car, making their way into the building.

Seeing their friends from the parenting classes always made Loki happy, and they spoke about miscellaneous things until class began, making sure to turn forward to pay attention to the instructors.

Their instructors were a married alpha female and omega male couple, and the male omega was 25 weeks along with twins as well, so he and Loki were growing quite close. For the first time in his life, Loki had friends, and he was feeling much better as he sat down at a table with Thor. 

“Hello, everyone!” Greeted the male instructor. “As you all know, my name is Daniel, and my husband Aisha is helping me teach this class. We are all between 21-25 weeks in this class, so we’re all about halfway through our pregnancies. Our little ones should be here before we know it.”

The class clapped, so Daniel continued his lesson. “You still have some time to discuss your birth plan, so we’ll reintroduce the Bradley birthing method in 7 weeks. Today, I’d like us to really learn some important things about caring for your baby. It is  _ imperative _ that your child form healthy bonds from the moment they’re born, with both of you.”

Daniel’s husband Aisha stepped forward, speaking to the class next. “Alphas, I understand that for most of our history, child-rearing and nurturing has come from the omega parent.  _ But _ , numerous studies have shown that alpha parents bonding with their children from birth has significant impacts on your child’s health, as well as the family unit. As long as your child knows that they can depend on you just like they can depend on their mother, you’re doing it right.”

Thor found his mind drifting to when their children would be here, his heart nervously beating at the realization that it was only 3-4 months away.

“Let’s learn how to properly  _ hold _ your baby. Everyone here is a first time parent, so we’ll pass out dolls, and show you different ways to hold your baby, for different situations.”

Thor and Loki both took dolls as the instructors handed them to them, and Thor eyed the doll warily, imagining that this was  _ his _ baby. He felt really uncomfortable, and gently put the doll on the table, trying to tell himself that it was important that he learned how to do this.

Loki could see the multitude of emotions on Thor’s face, and figured that he was struggling with the realization that their children would be here soon. “Alpha?”

Thor held back a sigh, knowing that it would hurt Loki’s feelings if he showed how unsettled he was by all of this. “I’m fine. Just nervous.”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he rubbed at Thor’s back, not wanting him to worry. “Everything will be okay, alpha. You’ll be a better parent than you think.”

The omega was staring at him with such assured confidence, and he couldn’t help but smile softly, feeling a bit better. “Thank you, omega.”

“Alright, everyone. Please lie your dolls on the table, flat on their backs.” Directed Daniel. He waited for everyone to do this before continuing. “Now one thing you  _ always _ need to remember is you need to always support your baby’s neck and head until they’re strong enough to do so themselves. So gently slide one of your hands under the baby’s neck and head, and your other hand under their bottom. Good, just like that.”

“Once you’ve got a good grip on the baby, scoop them up and into your chest,” Stated Aisha, looking around at everyone. “Now, keep in mind that your baby isn’t an object. They’re your baby! So kiss them, love them, talk to them, just make sure to interact with them while you pick them up. I can assure you that there is  _ nothing _ like your darling child smiling at you and giggling because they’re so happy to see you. You are your baby’s whole world, and it is your job to love them and make them feel safe.”

Thor did as the instructor’s started, wondering what it would be like when his children smiled out to him or called him “Papa”. It admittedly put a soft smile on his face, and he held the doll close to his chest, beginning to feel more comfortable with the exercise.

“The next hold that helps you is the shoulder hold. This is a  _ wonderful  _ pose because you can effectively calm down your baby in  _ seconds.  _ Holding your baby like this allows you to release calming pheromones, and helps you better bond with your baby, because in this position, your scent gland is close to theirs."

Thor and Loki did as Aisha instructed, continuing to imagine that these were their actual children.

"Again, these are your children," Began Daniel. "Don't be afraid to interact with them. In this position you can hum to your child, you can pat their backs, you can rub their backs, you can rock them, the possibilities are endless."

The class followed their direction, so the instructors grabbed a bag of diapers and passed them throughout the room. “Changing a diaper is something that a lot of new parents don’t really think about, but it’s a skill that you should definitely learn before the baby gets here.”

Thor and Loki took the diapers handed to them and set their dolls down on the table, waiting for their instruction.

“Now unfold the diaper, and place the baby doll on top of it. We are pretending that this baby has just soiled its diaper, and we undid the diaper to clean the baby. A hefty trick that I’ve used is to take the front of the diaper, and wipe at the baby with the front of the diaper, before folding the soiled diaper and disposing of it.” Explained Daniel.

“Now with your new, fresh diaper, hold the doll’s legs up, and put the bottom of the clean diaper beneath the doll’s rear end. Good, now fold the front flap up, tuck it around the baby's waist and attach the tabs. Do  _ not _ cover newborn belly buttons; this is very important!”

Thor swiftly did this, surprised that it was so easy. “Oh… that was much easier than I thought.”

Loki snorted, a proud smile on his face. “See? You’ve got this.”

As they went through the class learning more about taking care of babies, it really helped Thor feel more secure about the idea of being a father. Babies and children were always uncharted territory to him, but the more he learned, the more comfortable he felt actually embarking on this.

Being armed with knowledge really helped him, and by the end of the class, he found that he felt  _ much _ better about all of this.

Maybe… maybe this fatherhood thing wouldn’t be so hard after all.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Throughout Loki’s pregnancy with the twins, Thor and Loki learned a lot about themselves, each other, and their relationship.

Loki hadn’t  _ perfectly _ accepted his new changing and growing body, but he just told himself that he was growing this large because he was helping his children grow and be healthy, and his children being healthy was more important than his perceived issues with his body. Thor helped reassure him everyday, and was more hands on with his love, which really helped comfort Loki, and helped him believe that the alpha was still attracted to him and always would be.

Thor hadn’t mastered every aspect of fatherhood by the time Loki made it into his 3rd trimester like he wanted, but he’d learned enough in the parenting classes they were taking to feel more secure about being a dad. From what he’d gathered, children weren’t worried about their parents doing things “perfectly”. They just wanted their parents to love them, and uplift them. And those were definitely things that Thor could do.

Now that Loki was in his 3rd trimester, it was time for him to go on maternity leave, where he would be off his feet as much as possible until their birth of their twins. Loki wasn’t too sure about how he wanted to give birth yet -or  _ where  _ for that matter- so he hoped that their weekly parenting class would help them decide.

Arriving at the parenting class had become fun for Thor and Loki, and they greeted their friends as they entered the class, catching up and speaking about various topics until the class began.

Because the teacher of this class, Daniel, was so far along in his pregnancy of twins, this would be his final class. He was currently 35 weeks, and could  _ literally  _ pop at any moment. “Hello, everyone. Please take your seats; this class will be interesting.”

Thor helped Loki sit down and kissed at his cheek affectionately, causing the omega to smile. “Ready?”

Loki hummed and nodded, taking Thor’s hand as he turned to pay attention to the class.

“Today I would like to spend the next hour and a half going over the finer points of labor and delivery. Because we’re all in the final trimester, it’s very important that we think about our birth plans. And while this class tries to encourage every mother to have a natural, unmedicated birth, you should  _ always _ do what you feel is right. And if that means getting medicine or having a cesarean, then that’s okay. This is all about you and your baby, and how you can safely and comfortably bring this baby into the world.”

“So for our classes, we always teach the Bradley method of birth.” Continued Daniel, moving to sit down in front of the class. “This method promotes creating a safe and loving environment for the mother to deliver the baby. The mother calls the shots, and you give birth in whatever position you feel most comfortable. I’ve delivered two of our children without medicine using this method, and I plan on delivering these two children that way. It’s a  _ beautiful _ experience to deliver your children this way.”

As Daniel talked about his personal experience, Loki began to consider doing this exact thing too, with these children. He just assumed he was going to get a cesarean and be done with it, but… he realized that this wasn’t something he wanted to do. These parenting classes really helped him feel more secure about being a parent, and he really wanted this labor to be a beautiful thing, and not just a mechanical process.

“When you give birth using the Bradley method, things are all about you, and how you’re going to bring your children into the world. And that begins with setting the environment. Whatever makes you feel safe, calm, and secure should be done. This usually means a dim environment, with your favorite scent wafting throughout the room.”

“It also helps to only have a limited number of people in the room. Of course, if you want to have a lot of people, then you can certainly do that. But we try to encourage you to keep the people there for your birth to a minimum.”

“Next is making sure the laboring mother is comfortable. Whether this is keeping a fan on them, rubbing at their back, or murmuring soothing words in their ear, it should be done.”

“And finally, this birthing method requires a coach. The coach can have as big of a role as delivering the children, or as small of a role as comforting the laboring mother. This coach keeps the laboring mother inspired and encouraged, which is  _ very _ important for delivery.”

Aisha took over then, a calming hand on her spouse’s shoulder. “We’d like all of you to spend the next 10 minutes discussing a birth plan, before we open up the floor for questions.”

Thor turned towards Loki, a thoughtful look on his face. “I suppose we should begin meeting with doctors, so that you can get familiar with them before the cesarean.”

Loki bit a lower lip, nervously meeting Thor’s gaze. “I don't think I want to do that anymore, alpha…”

“What do you mean you don’t want to do that anymore?!” Gasped Thor, mild panic rising in him. “What are you going to do?!”

“I want to have these children naturally, at home. And I think it would be good if you helped me deliver them.”

Thor almost fainted when Loki said this. “ _ Excuse _ me?!”

Loki knew that Thor would have this reaction, so he rushed to explain. “Thor, the thought of getting cut open on an operating table  _ terrifies _ me. If I do that, it will take me  _ weeks _ to recover, and I won’t be able to be as hands on as I want to be with the babies. I only have 2 months to spend with them before I return to work, and I don’t want to spend that time stuck in bed, recovering from a surgery.”

The reasoning made sense, so Thor took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “Why do you want  _ me _ to deliver these children, Loki? I-I don’t know what I’m doing! I could hurt them! Or worse, I could hurt  _ you _ ! Or all three of you!”

“You won’t hurt us, Thor!” Assured Loki. “The midwife would be there. And I’m certain that they would guide you. But I want this to just be  _ us _ , alpha. Just a beautiful moment. Just something small and intimate… something that is just  _ us _ . I-I want that, Thor. I don’t want to give birth in a room with beeping machines, in a stressful environment where there’s nurses coming in and out, and it’s loud and chaotic.”

Thor frowned, still not feeling comfortable with this. “What if something goes wrong, Loki? What if one of the babies stops breathing, or they need an emergency surgery?”

“But there are so many things that can go right!” Argued Loki. “If something goes wrong, we live close enough to a hospital. And I’m certain that the midwife would do everything in their power to help the babies until emergency crews arrived. This has been a healthy pregnancy, Thor.”

Thor could understand on some level why Loki wanted to go this route, but… in his mind, all he could imagine were the things that could go wrong. Before he could respond to Loki, the instructors were calling for everyone’s attention, so he shot a nervous look Loki’s way, signaling that they would talk about this later.

“We understand that it is  _ impossible _ to create a birth plan in 10 minutes. But we hope that we’ve at least helped start the conversation, and open up the floor to any questions.” Began Daniel.

A nervous alpha raised his hand, drawing attention to himself. “How is a home delivery safe? If she delivers in the hospital and something goes wrong, they can rush to save the child. But if she delivers at home and something goes wrong, then what then? I would just have to accept my child dying?”

Thor found himself nodding in agreement, waiting for the instructor to answer him.

“Labor and delivery complications are usually at 8-10%,” Answered Aisha. “And they aren’t that drastic. It is  _ extremely _ unlikely that a mother with a healthy pregnancy will go on to have a severe enough complication during labor, that the baby will have to be rushed to the hospital. It is  _ so _ unlikely that it doesn’t have a percentage. If your OBGYN gives you permission to have a home birth, trust that. Omegas have been delivering children since the dawn of time. Their bodies know what they’re doing.”

Thor frowned, raising his hand to ask a question. “But what if something  _ did _ go wrong? You didn’t answer that.”

Daniel laughed softly, turning and answering Thor. “In your mind, what does that mean, Thor?”

“W-Well what if the baby stops breathing? Or what if something is wrong with its heart? What if something happens, and we have to have an emergency caesarean?” Answered Thor, beginning to get flustered.

“If the baby stops breathing, the midwife is trained to help resuscitate the baby, and has the equipment to do so. If the baby has something wrong with its heart, it would’ve been picked up  _ weeks _ before the delivery. Your wife’s OBGYN would never let him have a home birth if something was wrong with your baby’s heart. If something happens where a cesarean is needed, then your wife will be rushed to the hospital. There aren’t many things that can go wrong in a healthy pregnancy, Thor. And if your OBGYN gives your wife the all clear, then trust that. They wouldn’t say that to you if they weren’t certain that your wife could deliver safely at home.” Answered Aisha.

“But what if something happens to him? What if he bleeds out, or tears, or-”

“Thor,” Murmured Daniel, trying to calm the alpha down and help him understand. “Bleeding out in a healthy pregnancy is so rare, that there’s no percentage rate for it. If Loki tears, the midwife is qualified to stitch him up, and administer some medicine to him.”

Thor narrowed his eyes, trying to understand. “But it’s a midwife! Not a doctor!”

“Midwives aren’t random people from the street that decided that they wanted to deliver a baby, Thor.” Laughed Daniel, patient amusement in his eyes. “It takes anywhere from 3 to 4.5 years to get your midwife bachelor’s degree. And it can take up to 8 years total to get the other certifications necessary for this degree. Midwives usually spend 1-2 years in nursing programs centered on labor and delivery after getting their bachelors, and then three years in a midwife program before they’re allowed to deliver children on their own. Many midwives are actually nurses as well, since the course requirements are so similar.”

Thor’s face heated up at the response, as he felt stupid for not knowing that. “I… I didn’t know that…”

“That isn’t something to be ashamed of, Thor.” Assured Daniel. “You’re all first time parents. This is all new to you, and it  _ is _ scary. But it doesn’t  _ have _ to be. That’s why you’re all here.”

Loki reached out to rub at Thor’s thigh soothingly, not wanting him to feel embarrassed. “What about me? Can I do this with twins?”

“Absolutely,” Answered Daniel, patting at his own stomach. “That’s what I plan on doing with these two. As long as your pregnancy is considered low-risk, and your OBGYN feels that the children are healthy enough to be delivered naturally, then it can be done. Work with your OBGYN, and use the information they give you to make your decision. I recommend getting weekly check ups once you hit 36 weeks, so that your OBGYN can be certain that everything is okay, since you’re carrying twins.”

Loki nodded, feeling much better about this. He understood that it was different, but he  _ was _ different. He wanted to do things because he felt like it was the best decision for him,  _ not _ because of anyone else. And something was telling him that this delivery was the way to go.

The instructors continued to answer questions for everyone throughout the rest of the class, and once it hit 2 o’clock, Thor and Loki stood to make their way to the front of the class, wanting to discuss this further with the instructors. 

“Thor! Loki! It seems like you both changed your mind on your delivery?” Asked Daniel, standing to greet the pair. He reached out to hug Loki and kissed his cheek, rubbing at his back. “How are you, hun?”

Loki kissed his cheek as well and pulled back, hand on his stomach as one of the twins kicked at him fiercely. “Ready for his children to be out of me.”

Everyone laughed at this, and Daniel shot him an understanding look. “You and me, both. It’s about time to deliver these two.”

Aisha gestured for Loki and Daniel to sit, not wanting them to stand if they didn’t have to. “Do you have some questions for us?”

Thor moved behind Loki, gently massaging his shoulders. “Loki told me that he wanted to have our children at home, and not get a cesarean. And I’m struggling with that option. I’m…  _ nervous _ about doing that, because I don’t want something to go wrong, and I don’t want to lose him or the children.”

Loki moved to clasp Thor’s hand on his shoulder, kissing his hand softly. “I don’t want to be cut open. I want to be at peace when I bring them here. I want to be safe, I want to  _ feel _ safe, and I want it to just be me and Thor, and maybe his mother. And I really think I can do this. I  _ want _ to do this.”

Daniel hummed softly, pulling out his tablet and typing in something. “I want to show you both something. There’s an  _ amazing _ national midwife website where all accredited midwives post their rates, their education, and their experience, as well as their rates per hour.” He turned the screen to Thor and Loki, showing them what he was talking about. “I think it would be a good idea for the both of you to review this website. They have a hotline where they can answer all of your questions.”

He closed his tablet then, putting it away. “I also want to give you both some homework. I’m going to send you both a few videos to watch, and I want you to tell me how each one made you feel. I want you to truly understand what this process of a home birth entails. And after watching these videos, if you have any questions, call us.”

This was something that Thor could do, so he thanked the pair, kissing Loki’s cheek before helping the omega stand. “Thank you, both of you.”

The couple waved goodbye, so Thor and Loki walked out of the classroom hand in hand, heading back to their car. They usually got lunch after these classes, and arrived at Loki’s favorite Latin restaurant, sitting down and giving their order to the waitress.

Once she left, Thor sighed, reaching across the table to take Loki’s hands in his. “Do you really want to have the children at home, Loki?”

Loki nodded, firm in his decision. “I don’t want to be cut open, Thor… if I go to a hospital, I don’t believe that I’ll be able to have these children the way that I want. I want to feel safe and secure, and I feel that way at home, when I’m with you.”

This put a warm smile on Thor’s face, and he brought Loki’s knuckles up to his lips, kissing them softly. “I want you to do this in a way that helps you feel those things, Loki. But I’m  _ terrified _ that something will go wrong. I-I can’t lose you and the kids, Loki. You’re all the best things that have ever happened to me.”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he squeezed his husband’s hands gently, understanding the sentiment. “And I feel the same about you and the babies too, alpha… all I ask is that you trust me. Let’s do everything we can to make this a safe process. We’ll do the research, we’ll pick the  _ best _ damn midwife in the whole country, and we’ll set up the home to ensure that this is safe, alpha. We can do this.”

Thor didn’t want Loki to think that he wasn’t being supportive, so after a few seconds he nodded, kissing Loki’s knuckles again. “I’ll trust you, omega. If you’re saying this is what you want, then I-I support you. I’m fucking scared as shit, but… I trust you. And if this is what you want, then we’ll do this.”

The biggest grin spread across Loki’s face, and relief washed over him. “Thank you, alpha.” He understood that the unknown was scary, but that didn’t mean that they should allow fear to hold them back. And he was glad that Thor was taking his hand, and trusting him to do this in the way he knew he needed to.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After they got home that afternoon, Thor and Loki spent over an hour going through the top midwives in their area, able to narrow it down to 5. Out of the five midwives, three were available around Loki’s due date. And out of the three, Thor and Loki were able to pick the midwife that they felt would be best for their situation. She was a nurse practitioner, and had been a midwife for over 30 years, which helped Thor feel  _ much  _ better about Loki wanting to deliver at home.

Loki took his leave of absence one he hit 36 weeks, and would have the next 3 months off for maternity leave. Thor would be taking the month after Loki had the babies off, and would work from home the following month, to help him.

They had  _ finally _ decided on names for the babies as well -Luca for the boy and Aura for girl- and were excited for the delivery, counting down the  _ days _ .

Because Loki was pregnant with omegas, he was more likely to make it to 40 weeks with this pregnancy, and after receiving the green light for a home delivery from his OBGYN, he and Thor spent the days leading up to the birth excited, nervous, worried, and full of anticipation.

The morning of his 38th week pregnant, Loki woke up with moderate contractions, and reached out to wake Thor, as these felt different from the braxton hicks contractions that he’d been dealing with all week. These contractions felt  _ intense _ , intense in a way that they hadn’t been all week, and his heart beat nervously in his chest as it dawned on him that this was it. “Alpha?”

Thor stirred next to him, blinking slowly and waking up. “Hey… everything okay?”

Loki shook his head no, struggling to sit up. “I need to move. These contractions are getting stronger.”

Thor woke up completely then, his heart pounding nervously in his chest. “You’re having contractions?!”

The omega nodded, finally managing to sit up and collapsing against the headboard. “It’s been like this since this morning. They’re about 30 minutes apart.”

Thor let out a sigh of relief, knowing that this meant they had quite some time to prepare. Sitting up as well, he ran a calming hand through Loki’s hair, hating that labor was such an uncomfortable process. “Luca and Aura will be here soon, love. It’ll all be worth it.”

Loki smiled softly, closing his eyes and leaning against Thor’s shoulder. “I’m so ready to meet them. I keep envisioning whose hair or eyes they’ll have, or who they’ll look like, and I’m so excited.”

Although nervous, Thor was excited too, and rubbed at Loki’s stomach affectionately. “I’m so proud of you. You’ve been a complete rockstar throughout this entire pregnancy. And I love you so much for doing this, Loki.”

This put a warm smile on Loki’s face, and he met Thor for a loving kiss, humming against his lips. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Thor maneuvered Loki into his arms and kissed him again, arms wrapped around his mate as he let out soothing pheromones. “Who do you think will be here first?”

“Luca.”

“I think it’ll be Aura,” Laughed Thor, rubbing soothing circles into Loki’s stomach. 

The pair remained like this for quite some time, enjoying the quiet of this moment. They both understood that their household wouldn’t be this quiet again for  _ years _ .

When another contraction began Loki gripped at Thor and closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, beginning to wonder if he could really deliver his children without the aid of medicine. He was already this uncomfortable in this stage of labor, and it was only the beginning.

“Just breathe, love,” Murmured Thor, kissing Loki’s temple and rocking with him gently in their bed. He continued to emit calming pheromones, and rubbed soothing circles into his sides, encouraging him through the contraction.

Once it ended Loki let out a long sigh, feeling stressed. “I don’t think I can do this, alpha.”

The parenting classes they took warned him that Loki would get like this, and it was his job as Loki’s husband and labor partner to walk him through this. “Yes, yes you can, love. Come on, depend on me. Let's get in the bath, okay?”

Loki nodded and shifted out of Thor’s arms, sitting up in bed and waiting for Thor to come help him out of bed. Once the alpha was in front of him, he gripped at the alpha’s arms and let himself be pulled up, grunting and following Thor to the bathroom.

He sat down on the edge of the large tub while Thor turned it on and filled it with water, slowly taking off his shirt and doing his best to shimmy out of his pants. Once the bath was filled Loki let Thor help him into the bath and moaned as he sank into the warm water, the warm jets being absolutely  _ everything _ he needed. “ _ Norns… _ I might have to give birth here.”

Thor knew from research that some omegas chose to deliver like this, and kissed Loki’s cheek as he slipped in behind him. “If that’s what you want, then we’ll let the midwife know. Just tell me what you need, love.”

Loki leaned back into Thor’s warm embrace, revealing the scar of his bond bite to the alpha as Thor moved to kiss him here. “We should probably tell your mother I’m in labor.” Thor’s mother had moved into the guest room last week, and planned on staying here for the next month, helping the pair with the twins. “I want her here with me.”

Thor hummed softly, kissing at Loki’s bond mark again. “I’ll let her know once we step out of the bath.”

Humming softly, Loki closed his eyes and continued to relax against his husband’s chest, remaining in the bath until the water was no longer warm. He sat up to let Thor out, and gratefully accepted his hands, stepping out of the bath. 

“Need me to help you get dressed, love?”

“Please,” Sighed Loki, his face scrunching into a pained frown as another contraction began. He moaned and blindly reached out for Thor, squeezing at the alpha’s hand and burying his face into the crook of his neck.

“Shhh…” Murmured Thor, pulling Loki into his arms and rocking with him through the contraction. “It’s alright, love. You’re doing amazing. I’m so proud of you.”

Loki took in a shuddering breath as the contraction ended, slowly straightening up. “Babe, I-I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Loki-”

“I-I’m serious, alpha. I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

The last thing Thor wanted was to force Loki to have a home birth if he really didn’t want it, but he also didn’t want to give in and let Loki’s fear rule what he did. He knew Loki would never forgive himself if he ended up doing something because he was scared. Taking the omega’s hand, Thor led him out of their bathroom and to their bed, sitting down with him. “Loki… just take a breath. Whether you give birth here or at the hospital, you’re giving up something.”

Loki remained silent, so Thor continued to speak. “If you give birth here, it’ll be without medicine, which  _ is _ painful. But if you give birth here, you’re the one that calls the shots. Every position you go in is because you chose it. This is all you. But if you go to the hospital, you’re not going to be able to do that. They’re going to hook you up to a million things, and then they’re going to force you to get a cesarean. And I know that’s not what you want.”

Loki couldn’t help but tear up and wiped at his eyes, taking in another shuddering breath. “It just  _ hurts _ , alpha. I really didn’t think it would be this bad! And I don’t want to go to the hospital, but I just want this to be over!”

Exhaling softly, Thor scooted closer and rubbed soothing circles into Loki’s back, emitting calming pheromones. “I can only imagine how much it hurts, Loki. But I do know that you never give up. And I know that you’re not giving up now. In a few hours, Luca and Aura will be here, and you’ll be so focused on them that the pain won’t even matter. And once you recover from their delivery, you’ll be so proud of yourself for doing it the way you wanted, without the surgery.”

His gaze softened then, and he moved to run a soothing hand along Loki’s side. “Now if you’re telling me that you’re done, and you absolutely  _ can’t _ , then we’ll pack up, and get you to the hospital. But if you feel like you  _ can _ do this, and you  _ want _ to do this, then we will. Depend on me, depend on my mother, and we’ll help you through this. So what do you want to do, love?”

Loki knew that Thor was right, and leaned into his husband’s embrace, allowing the alpha’s pheromones to wash over him. “I want to stay… I want to do this.”

“So let’s do this,” Murmured Thor, meeting the omega for a loving kiss. “You have it in you to do this and get through this, love. I know you can.”

Now Loki was smiling, and he kissed Thor again, relief flooding through him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. You can do this, omega.” Assured Thor, kissing him once more. “Now let’s get dressed, I’ll get my mother, and we’ll go into the living room and watch your favorite show or movie, or play a game, or whatever we have to do to get your mind off of the pain; even if it’s only for a moment.”

  
It was moments like this where Loki was  _ so _ thankful and appreciative for Thor, and he met him for a final kiss, stroking at his cheek affectionately. “Of course.”

Thor helped him dress into one of his shirts and a pair of shorts, and helped him stand, walking him downstairs to the living room and sitting him down on the plush recliner. He then got Loki’s favorite comforter and tucked him in, leaning over to kiss his brow. “I’m going to go get my mother, Loki. I’ll be right back.”

Loki waved him away, settling down further onto the couch and closing his eyes. It was surreal that their children would be here in a few hours, and he couldn’t help but tear up and smile, overjoyed that his dreams of being a mother were coming true. In just a few short hours, their babies would be here, and their lives would be changed forever.

“Loki! How are you, dear?”

Turning at the sound of Frigga’s voice, Loki grinned when he saw his mother-in-law, absolutely loving how Frigga’s face lit up when she saw him. “Hey.”

Frigga squealed and rushed over to Loki, pulling the omega into her arms. “Thor tells me you’re in labor! How are you feeling, dear? How far apart are your contractions?”

“I think they’re about 20ish minutes apart. My water hasn’t broken yet,” Answered Loki, returning the woman’s hug. “I’m doing my best to hang in there, Frigga.”

Frigga rubbed at his large stomach next, a loving smile on her face. “Just a few more hours, Loki love. And then your beautiful children will be here.”

Loki had gotten extremely close to Frigga after the wedding, and she truly treated him like one of her own. She was the mother that he always wished he had, and even though it hurt him deeply to not be sharing this moment with his real mother, he was thankful that he had Frigga in his life.

Thor sat down next to him, so Loki nestled into both Frigga and Thor, feeling loved and cared about in a way that really made him emotional. He knew that most of it was because of the pregnancy, but… being here with people that genuinely cared about him made him feel so comforted, and he really needed that to get through this labor.

“What do you feel like watching, love?” Asked Thor, his hands coming to rub at Loki’s stomach gently.

“Something silly. Like a prank show or something.” Suggested Loki.

Thor found a tv show like this and sat back with Loki for the next hour, noticing that his contractions were almost 15 minutes apart by then. He knew that this meant that one or both of the omega’s waters would break soon, and he got up to get some towels to put under the omega, wanting to be prepared.

Two hours into watching tv, Loki’s waters ended up breaking, so Thor rushed to comfort and reassure him that everything would be okay. The omega was a bit embarrassed, but Frigga tutted and did her best to assure him that this was all normal, and that everything was okay.

Now that Loki’s waters had broken, Frigga and Thor walked Loki upstairs and to their bedroom, where they began to prepare it for Loki’s delivery. Lights were dimmed, candles in Loki’s favorite scent were lit, calming sounds of waves crashing against the shore were playing off of bluetooth speakers spread throughout the room, and Loki’s exercise ball was blown up and brought out, with Loki being set on top of it.

Loki had sort of gone into a headspace that let him deal with the pain he was feeling, and he thought back to his classes, knowing that his mentality and his breathing was important now that he was in active labor. The midwife was on the way, so he just focused on his breathing and on his surroundings, letting the crashing waves pull him into a place in his mind where he was calm.

The contractions were about 5 minutes apart by now, so Thor and Frigga were doing their best to keep him calm. Frigga had a massager on his back and was running it along the lower portion of it, emitting calming pheromones and murmuring soothing words into his ears. Thor was rocking with him gently, and helping him stretch on the exercise ball, which he was thankful for.

Loki was determined to do this the way that he wanted, and he was determined to bring his children here, and trusted the people in his life that were here to help him do so.

His midwife arrived around 6 and helped Loki feel better, hooking him up to the fetal monitoring machine so that he could hear the babies’ heartbeats. Hearing the gentle whoosh comforted him, and it just made him more assured that he could do this. No, he  _ would _ do this. He had it within him to do so.

When his contractions were 3 minutes apart, Loki felt like it was time, and squeezed at Thor’s shoulder, moaning his name. “ _ Thor _ …”

The alpha immediately moved to kiss Loki’s bond mark, as attentive as he could be. “Yes, love?”

“I-I think it’s time. I-I need to push!”

Everyone moved to help Loki crouch on his knees over some absorbent pads -the omega decided that he didn’t want to be wet, and vetoed having the children in the tub- with Thor crouching to be with him. Frigga was right beside him, rubbing at his side and continuing to murmur encouraging words into his ear.

“Alright, Loki… I want you to breathe, exhale slowly, breathe again, and push with your next contraction.” Directed the midwife, running a soothing hand along Loki’s spine. 

Doing as the midwife instructed, Loki pushed with his next contraction, feeling his child shift. It was the strangest sensation, and was quite uncomfortable, but he pushed through it, grunting and squeezing his eyes shut.

“Good, good that’s it, Loki. Just like that.” Urged the midwife.

Loki inhaled deeply and pushed again, a loud groan escaping from his throat as he began to feel an almost unbearable, searing stretch. “ _ Fuuuuck _ .”

Thor kissed Loki’s forehead, running a soothing hand through his hair. “You can do this, Loki. You got this, just breathe. You can do this.”

A loud whimper left Loki’s throat when he pushed again, and he teared up, beginning to break down when he pushed and his child crowned. “ _ Norns! _ ”

“I see beautiful black hair, Mom and Dad!” Announced the midwife, continuing to rub at Loki’s back.

Hearing that their first infant had his hair made a well of pride swell from within him, and he let out a tearful laugh, taking in another deep breath and pushing again.

He’d been warned about the “ring of fire” caused by the shoulders of the child leaving him, and dug into Thor’s shoulders with his nails hard enough to leave indents in the alpha’s skin as he screamed with the next push, his face contorting in pain.

“That’s it, that’s it, Loki dear!” Encouraged Frigga, rubbing at his side soothingly. 

Loki grunted and cried a bit harder with the final three pushes, absolute bliss and  _ relief _ flowing through him when he felt his child leave him.

Small whimpering could be heard, and Loki felt himself sob at the sound, Thor and Frigga quickly moving to help him sit. The midwife thrust his baby into his arms and onto his bare chest, and their baby cried and cried, the sound the most beautiful thing Thor and Loki had ever heard.

Loki felt so proud of himself and met Thor’s tearful gaze, kissing him before pulling his child closer to his chest, sobbing as he held his baby. The child was small -as all omega children were- and had their adorable face scrunched up in a frown as they cried, seeking out more comfort.

“Luca’s here!” Gushed Thor, tearing up himself. Seeing Loki hold their little boy made him more emotional than he believed he would get, and he hugged his little family close, crying into Loki’s hair as he hugged them.

The family wept together in joy over the birth of Luca, and fawned over him, looking at every feature, and pressing kisses against every little finger and toe.

“He looks just like you, Loki dear!” Stated Frigga, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Loki looked down at his son, seeing that the small baby did look just like him, in every way. “Little Luca… he’s so beautiful. He’s  _ perfect _ !” He felt his daughter shift within him and felt the urge to push, so he gently handed the child to Frigga after he’d been cut free of his umbilical cord. “I-I need to push again!”

Frigga swiftly took her grandchild in her arms, kissing Luca’s cheeks and swaddling him. “Your sister is on her way, sweet child.”

Thor and the midwife helped Loki stand back up on his knees, and once he felt ready he bore down, grunting and clenching onto Thor’s shoulders tightly.

The alpha didn’t mind, as his attention was solely on Loki. Any pain that he felt from Loki squeezing him too tight was  _minuscule_ in comparison to the pain Loki was feeling now. “That’s it, love. You can do it. She’s almost here.”

Giving birth to their daughter was a bit easier than giving birth to their son, if only because it was his second delivery, but Loki was quite surprised that he was able to get his daughter out in 5 minutes. He couldn’t help but let out an exhausted laugh when he heard her wail, and gratefully accepted her into his arms as Thor and the midwife set him down, kissing her adorable crown of golden blond hair. “She looks just like you, alpha.”

Thor grinned down at their daughter, happy that she was his spitting image. “She’s adorable.” He kissed Loki’s temple, feeling immeasurable pride in his spouse. “I’m so proud of you, Loki. You did amazing. Absolutely amazing. You did it, love.”

Loki preened under Thor’s praise, meeting him for a loving kiss. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

The pair shared another kiss before Thor cut their daughter’s umbilical cord, and once Loki had delivered the afterbirth and showered, he settled in bed and gratefully took both twins in his arms, settling their little bodies on his nursing pillow. “Norns… look at them.”

Thor sat down next to him on the bed, tickling his son’s cheek. “Norns, they’re so cute. I feel like they’ll break if I hold them, since they’re so small.”

Frigga tutted gently, helping show Loki how to get each baby to latch on to him. “They’re supposed to be tiny, dear. They’re omegas.”

Luca whimpered when Loki tried to get him to latch on, so Loki shushed him gently, letting out calming pheromones. “It’s alright, baby… Mommy’s here.”

Hearing their children gurgle or whimper was so surreal for Thor, and he rubbed at Aura’s side as she drank from Loki, laughing at how greedy she was. “Look at her, Loki.”

Loki looked down at his daughter and laughed, tickling her pudgy stomach. “She’s definitely your daughter.”

“Looks like Luca finally latched on, too. Look at him, he looks like he’s starving.”

Switching his gaze to their son, Loki laughed again, amused by his children. He couldn’t  _ wait _ to see how their personalities would develop as they aged, and met Thor for a loving kiss, proud of their little family. “I love you.”

Thor grinned, kissing him again and staring deeply into his sage green eyes. “I love you too.”

And together the family enjoyed their children being here, feeling a level of completeness that wasn’t there before.

  
✬⭒✭⭒✮

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So thank you so much for reading! I really don't like posting chapters if I just don't know how to write it or where to take it. But I am hoping to begin updating this regularly now :3 I am HOPING to have this done by the end of 2020, fingers crossed! Lemme know what you think of the chapter :3


	17. Change

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After the children finished drinking, Thor and Loki each took hold of one, amazed that these two little lives came from them. Luca was  _ literally _ Loki’s spitting image but had Thor’s eye color, and Aura was Thor’s clone, but had Loki’s eye color. The pair were heavily amused by this, and couldn’t help but kiss their babies’ faces over and over again, awed that they were finally here.

“They’re so cute!” Gushed Loki, kissing Aura’s small, round face. “Gosh, just look at them, alpha!”

Thor felt the same, one of his fingers coming to affectionately rub Luca’s small cheek. They’d dressed them in adorable light blue and light pink onesies, and even had little caps on them that had their names on them.

The babies were currently asleep, and while Loki was  _ exhausted _ , he didn’t want to let go of holding them. “I just want to hold them forever,” Murmured Loki, beginning to tear up. He was proud of himself and Thor for doing this, and for finally bringing their children into this world. He wanted nothing more than to stay in this bed with their children and Thor, loving on them and doting on them until the end of time.

“You’ll both want to try and sleep now,” Urged Frigga, leaning forward to kiss both of their cheeks. “They’ll need to be fed every 2 hours, and you’re going to want to sleep when they do.  _ Trust _ me.”

Thor was relieved that he was so happy and felt so connected to the children, and kissed Luca’s face, falling more and more in love with his child. “I don’t want to put them in their cribs, either. I just want to hold them and stare at their adorable little faces forever.”

Loki’s heart melted at the statement, and he beamed at Thor, relief flooding through him. Seeing Thor interact with the children really helped him feel better about their decision to start a family, as he’d originally been worried that the alpha would’ve been closed off and reserved. 

“You’re the parents; I’m just the grandma.” Laughed Frigga, standing up from the bed. “I’m going to clean up a bit. Loki, can I fix you anything?”

“Cucumber salad?” Asked Loki, his eyes shining with hope. Frigga was an  _ excellent  _ cook, and even the simplest of dishes were turned into something grand.

“Coming right up, dear,” Assured Frigga, pinching at his cheek. “Thor? Can I make you anything?”

Thor shook his head no, not really that hungry. “I’m fine, Mom. Thank you.”

Once his mother left the room it was quiet, and the pair enjoyed being here with the babies, observing every detail about them. They slept so soundly and looked serene. As the minutes passed, Loki felt the adrenaline from the day leaving him, and yawned quietly, trying to not wake up the sleeping infant in his arms. “I sort of want to lay my head down, Thor…”

Thor hummed softly, gently placing his daughter down in a rocker before taking Luca. “That’s fine, Loki. You were amazing; I’ll watch them.” He placed a loving kiss against Loki’s lips, not wanting him to worry. “Have a good nap, love.”

Loki smiled against his lips, kissing him again before climbing under the blankets of the bed and settling himself on his pillow. He planned to only doze off for half an hour, but quickly fell asleep, just as blissfully knocked out as the babies.

Thor found this all adorable, and held Luca in his arms while Aura was in the rocker next to him, finding that he was a bit tired as well. He wanted to stay up in case Loki or the babies needed something, and yawned quietly, taking a moment to enjoy the events of the day.

He had been scared out of his fucking  _ mind _ that something would’ve gone wrong during the delivery, and was proud of himself for just trusting Loki. Their children were here and his spouse was happy, which were all that mattered to him.

Frigga reentered the room then, two glasses of water in her hands. “I see that Loki is asleep?”

“Yeah,” Murmured Thor, cracking open his eyes. “He pretty much fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He’s exhausted.”

“I bet,” Sighed Frigga, setting the two glasses of water on a nearby bedside table. “I’m surprised he chose to do this unmedicated.”

“Me too,” Confessed Thor, sitting up and making sure to not jostle Luca. “He doesn’t handle pain very well. But I also know that when he sets his mind on something, he’ll do it, regardless of what anyone says or thinks about it.”

“And you love that about him.” Stated Frigga, a soft smile on her face.

Thor smiled as well, enjoying this time with his mother. “I do. I actually envy him sometimes; he’s so strong, and just charges head-forward into situations that absolutely terrify me. And I couldn’t imagine a better person to inspire our children, than him.”

Frigga sat down next to him, bending over to kiss Aura’s face gently. “I knew from the  _ moment _ you introduced him to us, that he was the one. He’s unlike anyone you’ve ever been with before, and I love that about him. He’s so strong, so fierce, so intelligent, and I couldn’t have imagined a better partner for you. I truly love him like he’s mine.”

The pair looked over at Loki then, who was sleeping soundly, completely unaware of their conversation.

“Do you know if his family knows he had the children?”

Thor frowned, a pained look on his face. “He actually hasn’t spoken to a member of his family in almost 2 years… and they haven’t reached out to him, either.”

Frigga’s face fell, and she looked away, beginning to tear up. “I just don’t understand how they could do that to him! He’s such a sweet man. He has a heart of gold, and just wants to love and be loved in return.” She shook her head and quickly wiped away her tears. “I know that our family can’t replace his family, but… we love him. And we always will.”

Thor was so touched that his entire family loved Loki just as much as he did, and he reached out to squeeze his mother’s hand, shooting her an appreciative smile. “Thank you for being there, Mom. It means so much to him that you’re so willing to be this involved. I know he may not express it, but your relationship with him means a lot to him.”

Frigga made a pitiful sound, reaching out to caress Loki’s cheek. “Poor child… Norns.” She wiped at her eyes again, bending over and placing a warm kiss on Loki’s forehead. “He’s too sweet for this world.”

“I agree with that,” Murmured Thor. He loved Loki so much, and it broke his heart that the omega’s family viewed him poorly. “But he has us. And we’ll love him so much that the thoughts of his family pale in comparison.”

“Yes,” Laughed Frigga, turning her attention back to Thor. “Why don’t you try and rest, dear? I can clean up the room and watch the twins.”

Thor was honestly tired, so he yawned and gently handed his son to his mother, who put him in a rocker next to his sister. “Thank you, Mom.”

“Of course,” Assured Frigga, sitting down in a rocking chair next to the twins. “Just sleep, Thor. The twins will be up before you know it.”

Thor yawned again and climbed into bed, absolutely  _ loving  _ how Loki immediately turned around to nestle into his side. He wrapped a comforting arm around the omega and pressed a warm kiss into Loki’s scalp before closing his eyes, the scent of his omega causing him to relax immediately. 

It felt like the second he closed his eyes, the babies began to cry, and he and Loki stirred awake, his eyes going to the clock at their bedside. It seemed like he’d gotten in a good hour of sleep, so he quickly sat up, rubbing at his eyes and yawning. “Norns, that was quick.”

Frigga laughed gently, handing Aura to Thor. “I told you.”

Hearing his baby crying stirred up something in Loki, and he sat up immediately, stifling back a groan as he did so. He was still  _ extremely  _ sore, and gratefully accepted the nursing pillow form Frigga before gently taking his daughter into his arms. “It’s alright, sweet girl, Mommy’s here.”

Aura continued to wail, her entire face turning red as she writhed in Loki’s arms, absolutely breaking his heart with her tears. He quickly lifted up his shirt and settled her onto the nursing pillow, guiding her to his chest. She began to calm down once she realized she was getting fed, and Loki could help but laugh, bending over and kissing her cheek. “Norns, look at her.”

Thor carefully took a crying Luca from Frigga and handed him to Loki, who was able to help the boy latch on to him. “You said that they have to eat every 2 hours, Mom?”

“Yes. Newborns grow quickly, and they get hungry  _ very _ fast. Since they’re so young, don’t even worry about putting them on a feeding schedule.” Suggested Frigga, watching the twins drink. “3 months is a safe age to try and put them on a feeding schedule.”

Thor and Loki took note of this mentally, with Thor feeling a bit concerned. “Loki goes back to work in two and a half months… what are we going to do?”

“Well, during the day while the nannies are here, the babies can be fed formula. At night and in the morning, they can still be breastfed.” Answered Frigga. “Don’t even worry about that right now, dear. Right now, just focus on feeding these babies, changing their diapers, and loving and bonding to them.”

It was hard for Thor to not think of the future, but he knew his mother was right. The next month was for him and Loki to just bond to the children, and he looked forward to being able to experience that.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Babies were tough.

The novelty of their precious babies quickly wore off once Thor and Loki realized that they were only sleeping in 30 minute to 1 hour intervals, and while Frigga being there helped  _ immensely _ , she left the second week after the twins were born, confident that Thor and Loki could handle it on their own.

Loki and Thor knew that she was only a phone call away -they lived in the same neighborhood, so she was really only a few minutes away- and they really appreciated that, but they wanted to do their best to handle things themselves, and learn.

Thor wasn’t too surprised with how Loki took to motherhood, as the omega was  _ extremely _ attentive to the children. He could be very deep in sleep, and would immediately snap awake once he heard a small whimper from the baby monitor.

The alpha tried his best to help him, but Loki would gently dismiss him, letting him know that he had it. Thor originally wrote it off as Loki just being a concerned mother -omegas were  _ extremely _ maternal and protective over their newborns- so he let it go, but a month into their twins being here, Loki was still acting like this, and was beginning to unravel.

He decided to bring it up to Loki when the babies woke up for their midnight feeding, and moved to sit up with Loki when they heard crying from the baby monitor, attempting to follow him out of the room and into the nursery.

“It’s alright, alpha. I’ve got it.” Yawned Loki, climbing out of bed.

“It’s fine, Loki.” Assured Thor, following him. “I can help.”

Loki shook his head, placing a gentle hand on Thor’s chest. “You should sleep; you’ve got work in the morning.” He stretched up to kiss Thor then, pecking his lips quickly. “Go back to sleep. I’ve got this.”

Thor gently grabbed Loki’s hands, stopping him and bringing them to his lips to kiss. “Let me help, omega.”

Loki searched his eyes for a bated breath before nodding, leading the way into the nursery. He’d learned to distinguish the cries of the babies a mere two days after they were born, so he went straight to Luca, picking up the boy and kissing his cheeks in an attempt to calm him. “It’s alright, sweet child. Mommy’s here.”

Luca continued to cry and turned red, his adorable face scrunched up in a frown as he wailed. His wailing woke up his sister, who hiccuped and began to wail as well, much to Thor and Loki’s frustration. 

Scooping up his daughter, Thor kissed her cheek and immediately placed her on his shoulder near his scent gland, beginning to emit calming pheromones. “It’s quite alright, Aura dear. Papa and Mama are here, everything is okay.”

Aura calmed down a bit, but was still whimpering, begging for Loki in the only way she knew how.

Thor saw that Loki was already sitting down in a rocking chair, and handed him the nursing pillow, helping him adjust the twins on it before they latched on. Once both twins were drinking they immediately calmed down, which the pair were thankful for.

Loki felt bad that Thor was still up and yawned into a hand, wanting him to go back to bed. “You should sleep, alpha. You have to wake up in 5 hours.”

“Loki,” Sighed Thor, sitting down in the other rocking chair in the room. “You need to let me help you.”

“Why?”

Thor scoffed at the answer, shooting Loki a dark look. “Loki, they’re my kids too.”

“But you’re  _ busy _ , Thor!” Argued Loki, an annoyed look on his face. “This is my job. Let me do it.”

Now Thor was bothered, and he sat up quickly in his chair, his frown growing by the second. “What the hell, Loki? I’m just supposed to take a back seat and let you do all of the work?”

Loki frowned slightly as well, worried and confused about how he’d upset Thor. “I’m the omega, Thor. I-”

“Loki,” Gritted out Thor, interrupting him. “We talked about this. This isn’t all you. They’re  _ our _ kids. I  _ want _ to help you. I don’t care if I only get an hour or two of sleep. I’ll gladly sacrifice sleep for all of you.” He hated how being curt with Loki affected the omega, so he tried to be gentler, sighing softly. “Loki, I love you. And I love Aura and Luca. And I want to do whatever I can to help.”

“But I’m telling you that you don’t have to,” Stressed Loki. “I’m the omega… I don’t mind doing this, Thor.”

“And I feel the same,” Insisted Thor. “I want to change diapers. I want to spend time with them. I  _ want _ to hug or cuddle them when they need attention. Hell, if I could feed them, I’d do it.”

Loki’s eyes widened in shock, before his face melted into that of relief and adoration. “You really want to do those things?”

Thor loved Loki, loved him so  _ much _ , but the longer they were together, the more he realized just how deep Loki’s family still affected him. He’d gotten  _ much _ better since they married, but it was like having these children set the clock back, and he was back in the mindset of omega’s only doing certain things in the family. And he really didn’t like that.

“Loki, I’m not your father. I’m not your brothers. And I’m not like the men from your church. I love  _ you _ . And I love my children. I want to be involved in every aspect of their lives. This isn’t 50/50. It’s 100/100, and I fully intend on raising my children with you, in every way.”

Loki nodded slowly, knowing that he needed to let Thor in and allow him to help. “Y-You’re right; I’m sorry. I-I just have it in my head that this is what I’m supposed to do, and I don’t want to be a burden, but-”

“You’re not a burden,” Interrupted Thor, reaching out to press a loving kiss against Loki’s temple. “We’re married and bonded, Loki. We’re a  _ team _ . If you’re hurting, so am I. I want to do whatever I can to make you happy, and keep you happy. You’re not a burden, and you  _ never _ will be; alright?”

The pair stared at each other before Loki nodded, meeting Thor for a reassuring kiss. “Thank you, alpha. And I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to make you upset about this.”

Thor knew that Loki would beat himself up about this -and he really didn’t want him to- so he kissed him again, running a loving hand through his silken, raven hair. “Loki… I just want to be there. I want to love you and these children with everything in me. And I don’t like when you feel you have to do everything yourself. Forget me being an alpha, and you being an omega; we’re human first. And I’m here to help you and love you, just like you’re here to love me and help me. This is a partnership.”

Loki smiled softly, touched by the statement. “Thank you, alpha… I know this. It’s just… it’s hard to block out the voices of my family and my upbringing. But I’ll do better, and depend on you.”

Thor was just relieved that the issue was resolved, and kissed Loki again, not wanting him to worry. “I love you.”

This caused a wondrous smile to spread across Loki's face, and he met Thor for another reassuring kiss, humming against his lips. “I love you, too.” Luca gurgled and unlatched from him then, so Loki automatically moved to burp him, before remembering that he needed to let Thor help. He wordlessly passed the baby over his husband, happiness spreading through him as he watched Thor interact with their son. The alpha had been so worried about being a good father, and had fit into parenthood fluidly, just like he knew he would. “Luca’s always so fussy.”

Thor snorted softly, resting his child over his shoulder and beginning to burp him gently. “Well he gets it from someone.”

Now it was Loki’s turn to snort, and he rolled his eyes in amusement. “I’m glad that you know it’s you.” He stuck out his tongue playfully when Thor widened his eyes in mock disbelief, and shifted to burp Aura, shushing her gently as she fussed at him. “They’re both really fussy, actually. But that’s okay, because they’re so adorably  _ cute _ .” He pressed a round of kisses against his daughter’s crown, laughing when she ended up burping in his face. “Someone has to teach you manners, missy.”

“Make sure you put the burping cloth on your shoulder, Loki.” Warned Thor, reaching for his before handing Loki one. “I keep forgetting that they spit up when they burp.”

Gratefully accepting the cloth, Loki placed in on his shoulder and continued to burp his baby, rocking steadily in his chair. He and Thor sat in comfortable silence while they burped the children, and once each baby was satisfied, they put them back in their cribs and turned off the lights, heading back to their room and climbing in bed.

Loki still felt really bad about upsetting Thor -that was never his intention in any of their interactions- and he nestled into his side once they were settled, rubbing at his side. “Alpha?”

“Hm?”

“I’m really sorry about earlier… I was only trying to be considerate of you having to work in the morning. I didn’t know that my actions were coming across as rude or disrespectful, and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.”

Thor wrapped a loving arm around Loki’s waist, not wanting him to worry. “I know, Loki. I just want you to know that our marriage will  _ never _ be like your parents’ or your brothers’ marriages. Our marriage is uniquely our own, and I need you to trust me when I say that you and these children mean everything to me. I’m willing to do whatever I need to do to keep all of you safe, healthy, and happy.”

Loki was so happy to be married to a man like Thor, and found himself laughing at the thought that their relationship almost didn’t happen. “To think that this all started because of you panicking.”

Now it was Thor’s turn to smile, and the alpha pinched playfully at Loki’s side, thinking back to that day. “Out of all the panicked decisions I’ve made in my life, that was the best one.” He pressed a kiss against Loki’s lips then, a familiar warmness flooding through him because of the action. “If I could go back in time I’d kiss myself for concocting that brilliant lie.”

Loki snorted and pinched at Thor in retaliation. “If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to just  _ go _ for it, much earlier than I did.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because for the longest time, you were unapproachable. You were my jerk boss, who I’d concocted to be the greatest asshole on the planet. But… after my heat, I realized that I couldn’t have been more wrong. It just took me some time for me to trust that you were different.” Answered Loki, looking up at Thor and smiling. “You and our children are the best thing that have ever happened to me.”

Thor closed his eyes and met Loki for another kiss; Loki’s love and happiness infectious. “And I can say the same. Every day that you wake up in my arms and I hold our children, I can’t thank the Norns enough for causing me to be a fumbling idiot that doesn’t know how to lie.”

The pair chuckled and kissed again before settling into bed more comfortably, each of them feeling more reassured about themselves, and each other.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki thought Thor was an absolute  _ superman _ .

When the alpha returned to work, Loki remained home with the twins, and it was  _ hard _ as hell. Frigga came over to help when she could, but for the most part Loki was on his own during the day, and while he loved his children, it really wore him down to be taking care of two babies at once.

Thor would immediately take over once he got home from work though and gently shoo Loki away from the babies, wanting him to sleep for a few hours. He would stay up with the children until about 9, and then would have their personal chef make Loki’s favorite meals, before waking up the omega.

He was running on about 3-4 hours of sleep a night, but Thor honestly didn’t care, as he was used to pulling all-nighters constantly for work. Loki and his children were infinitely more important, and he was more than willing to sacrifice his sleep to make sure they were all okay.

And so, their little family charged ahead, trying to find the perfect balance between life, work, and the children.

Loki’s maternity leave ended when the twins were 3 months old, and while he was more than ready to get back to the office, he was  _ heartbroken _ that he had to leave the babies. Now that they were 3 months old they were so animated, and he and Thor honestly spent all their free time playing with them when they got home from work, absolutely  _ enamored _ with them.

As the twins got older, it was exciting to see how their personalities fleshed out even more, and once they were 6 months old, Loki and Thor had a pretty good grip on their children. Luca was the  _ sassiest _ , most stubborn baby in all of existence, and had what Thor and Loki referred to as an adorable “vengeful” streak in him. The baby would rain hellfire on Thor and Loki if they didn’t always keep his favorite toy around, and had been upset with Loki for  _ hours _ when he tried to introduce him to mashed peas and carrots.

Of course, the baby has his sweet side too, and loved Thor and Loki with everything in him, absolutely  _ refusing _ to start his day unless both Loki  _ and _ Thor had given him his good morning hugs and kisses. And whoever made his sister Aura cry had a death wish, as he was  _ super _ protective over her.

Aura was just as stubborn as her brother, and it had taken Loki  _ weeks _ to get her to try mashed fruit and vegetables instead of breastmilk. She was picky, and  _ extremely  _ clingy. She was a daddy’s girl through and through, and wasn’t satisfied unless she was in Thor’s arms. She was admittedly shy, but laughed and giggled constantly, which made it hard to be upset or sad around her. And she loved her brother Luca with her whole being, not content unless she had kissed him good morning and good night.

All in all, Loki and Thor’s children were the lights of their life, and the pair couldn’t imagine their lives without them. They’d set up a fabulous schedule where Thor would work from home Monday and Tuesday, they would both be home Wednesday, Loki would work from home Thursday and Friday, and then on the weekends if they felt they needed a break for a few hours, they would get a nanny or ask Frigga to watch the twins.

Because it was February, Loki decided that he would go out shopping for Thor’s valentine’s gift, and figured that he’d take the twins with him to give Thor a break. The alpha had honestly been amazing since the twins got here, and Loki wanted to do whatever he could to show his appreciation. 

The alpha had been eyeing a new tablet that came out last week and hadn’t had time to get it himself, so Loki packed up the twins into his SUV and kissed Thor goodbye, making sure to pick up Frigga before heading to the upscale mall in their area of the city. He felt more comfortable taking the twins out in public now that they were older, but was still  _ very _ hesitant to do it alone, so he was grateful that Frigga agreed to go out with him today.

Once they arrived at the mall, Loki and Frigga placed the twins in their double stroller and headed inside, with Loki enjoying the change of scenery. “Norns, Frigga, I haven’t been outside the house like this in  _ months _ .”

“Thank you for inviting me out. I’m glad that I could help,” Answered Frigga, rubbing at his arm. “Plus, Odin needs an anniversary gift, so it worked out perfectly.”

“Do you have any idea what he might want?” Asked Loki, pushing the stroller aimlessly as they walked around the mall. “It might help me figure out what else I can get Thor.”

Frigga pointed at a cigar store, knowing that her husband liked to smoke them from time to time. “I was thinking about getting Odin a few cigars and some whiskey.” 

Loki directed the stroller towards that store and entered with Frigga, looking around curiously. “Do you think Thor would like some?”

“Oh no, dear. Our son isn’t very fond of this sort of thing; maybe you could get him some premium cufflinks?” Suggested Frigga. “Alpha men are always  _ so _ hard to shop for.”

This idea wasn’t half bad, and Loki made a mental note to stop at a suit store to see if he found any that Thor might like. “That’s not a bad idea.”

An attendant in the cigar store came over to help them then, so Loki waited patiently for the cigars Frigga picked out to be wrapped up and boxed, following her out of the store once she was done. “I think I will get him some cufflinks. I also wanted to get him a new tablet, for work. He’s been working from home so much, and I know that it would help him.”

“That sounds splendid, Loki dear.” Agreed Frigga.

The pair walked to a suit store and entered, nodding at the attendants waiting by the entrance. In the beginning, Loki had always been too nervous to walk into these high-end stores, as he worried about the attendants judging him. He’d been in this “lavish” lifestyle for 2 years now though, and didn’t really think twice about going into stores like this, with items that were as much as someone’s salary, if not more. “Hi, I need to get some cufflinks for my husband.”

“Certainly, sir.” Chirped the beta male attendant, gesturing for Loki and Frigga to follow him deeper into the store. “What is your husband like?”

“Strong,” Answered Loki, a fond smile on his face. “And brave. He’s very assured, and very,  _ very _ stubborn. He’s the CEO of his company, so he’s constantly in and out of meetings. I was hoping to get him a variety of pieces that would help show his personality.”

“Yes, yes, of course, sir. What do you think of this?” Asked the attendant, pulling out a pair of diamond-encrusted ruby cufflinks. They were octagon in shape, and looked absolutely  _ stunning _ . “Red is the color of valor, no?”

Frigga and Loki inhaled immediately, knowing that these cufflinks were perfect for the alpha. Loki gently took two in his hand and looked over them, nodding in agreement. “I love these. Do you have them in any other colors?”

“Certainly; these are Tom Ford Octagon cufflinks, and they also come in diamond-encrusted sapphire.” Answered the attendant, pulling them out as well. “What do you think?”

The deep sapphire was Thor’s favorite color, and Loki  _ knew _ that the alpha would love these as well. “Yes, I’ll get them both.” 

“Maaaaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaa!” Gurgled Aura from the stroller, reaching out to him to be picked up. “Ma!”

Loki laughed softly and picked his daughter up, kissing her cheek a few times and smiling when she giggled. “I suppose I’ll get him a few ties to match.”

“Certainly, sir. I’ll have these cufflinks wrapped for you; I will be back in just a moment.” Assured the attendant, taking the items and leaving to get the proper packaging.

“Thor’s cufflinks were perfect,” Murmured Frigga, a thoughtful look on her face. “I want to get Odin some, but I doubt he’d wear them; he has so many already.”

“Maybe you could get him a nice watch?” Suggested Loki.

Before Frigga could respond, she ended up making eye contact with someone and made a face of annoyance before stretching her lips in a thin smile, half-heartedly waving.

Loki had never seen Frigga so bothered before and turned around, seeing that a short, brunette omega female was approaching them.

“Mrs. Frigga!” Gushed the omega, greeting Thor’s mother. “Hi!”

Frigga observed the woman cooly, obviously not pleased to see the woman. “Jane.”

Loki’s mind kicked into gear then, and he inhaled sharply when he realized that this was most likely Thor’s ex-fiancee; the woman that had broken his heart.

Jane looked over at him then, her eyes flashing in realization when she saw the infant in Loki’s arms. “Norns, she looks just like him.”

Narrowing his eyes and pursing his lips, Loki emitted a strong enough of an annoyed pheromone for her to notice, answering her. “Can I help you?”

The woman seemed to realize how rude she was being and stammered, taking a step back. “I-I’m sorry, you probably don’t even know who I am. I-”

“I know who you are,” Interrupted Loki. “And I’m trying to figure out why you’re speaking to my mother-in-law and I so familiarly; you’ve definitely got some nerve.”

The woman drew back like she’d been stricken, narrowing her eyes at him and frowning. “Jeez... I was just saying hi.” She shook her head then, turning back to look at Frigga. “It was nice seeing you, Mrs. Frigga. Tell Thor that I said hello.”

“I think you and I both know that won’t be happening, Jane.” Sighed Frigga, clear annoyance on her face. “If you see me in public again, please pretend that you didn’t.”

Loki widened his eyes in shock at Frigga’s bluntness, biting back a laugh.

Jane seemed quite put off by Frigga’s dismissal and huffed, taking one final look at Loki’s children before turning and walking away without another word.

Once she was gone Frigga tutted and turned back to face Loki, her annoyance a bit amusing if not awing, since it was so uncharacteristic of her. “Norns, the  _ nerve _ of that woman. It’s been over two decades, and she had the audacity to speak to me as if she wasn’t the reason my son lost himself. Pathetic.”

Loki snorted, beginning to laugh. “That  _ was  _ bold of her.”

The attendant had finished wrapping up Loki’s cufflinks by then, and politely called out to him, catching their attention. “Sir? Madam? If you’re ready, I can show you our selection of ties.”

“Please,” Answered Loki, shooting Frigga a grateful look when she took over the stroller and pushed it to follow him. “I was thinking about a few ties to match the cufflinks.”

“I know the perfect tie,” Assured the attendant, guiding Loki over to a vast array of black ties. “This deep, lacquer black will go great with either color, sir.”

Loki eyed the tie, nodding in approval. “I like this; I’ll get it.” Aura squealed and took the tie from him then, putting it in her mouth and beginning to giggle innocently.

The attendant’s eye twitched, and he cleared his throat, shooting them a mildly disapproving look. “This tie is a Stefano Ricci tie, sir; it is $1,430.”

“That’s fine,” Sighed Loki, gently taking it from his daughter and kissing her cheeks a few times so that she wouldn’t cry. “I would like a ruby tie and a sapphire one, to match the cufflinks.”

“...Certainly, sir.” Murmured the attendant, continuing to eye Aura in disapproval as she attempted to play with the other ties. “Sir, if she gets any bodily fluids on our ties, you  _ will _ be required to buy them.”

“Yeah, yeah sorry about that,” Apologized Loki, kissing his daughter’s cheek to calm her down before putting her back in the stroller.

The store’s attendant kept a careful eye on the babies as he picked out the final two ties that Loki wanted, gesturing for the family to follow him to the register so that he could ring them up. “Your total comes out to $110,234.”

Loki made a face at this, pulling out his card to pay. One thing that he had gotten used to was spending a fortune on things, but it still amazed him sometimes about how expensive things could be. His husband was spoiled though, so Loki told himself that this would make Thor happy, and that his happiness was always worth it.

After leaving the suit store, Loki and Frigga headed to a technology store in the mall and bought Thor his tablet, before deciding that they would enjoy the rest of their day, and shop around for themselves and the children.

Being out with Frigga made Loki realize that he  _ never _ wanted to go out with the twins alone while they were still babies -they were  _ adorably _ pudgy trouble-makers- and he figured that from now on if Frigga couldn’t go with him somewhere, he would just have the nanny come instead.

On the way home he debated about telling Thor that he saw Jane, but decided against it, as it wasn’t important. She was the blip in the ocean that was their life, and it  _ had _ been 20 years since she and Thor had been together. He wasn’t very fond of bringing up the past, as he didn’t want Jane to become a focal point of their marriage. He was also terrified that if he brought it up, it would stir up something in Thor, and… and that was something that he didn’t want to happen, again.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor had been working on something from work when he got a text. It was from an unknown number, and simply said “hey”. He ignored it and continued to work, wanting to take advantage of the peace and quiet. Loki was out with the twins, so he went deep into that workflow that he used to live for back before he married Loki and had the twins, working for hours and only having it feel like minutes.

A ping from his social media distracted him, and he took a moment to look at the message, his face narrowing in confusion when he saw who it was from.

_ Jane _ .

He opened the message and read it, a million and one thoughts running through his mind.

_ Hey, _

_ So… I know I’m the last person that you want to hear from. But… I’m reaching out to you to see if you would be willing to meet up sometime this week, for brunch? There’s a few things I’d like to apologize for, and a few things I’d like to say. Hell, there’s probably a few things you want to say to me, too. Just… just let me know. _

_ -Jane. _

Thor stared at and read that message over and over again, trying to make sense of it, trying to pinpoint why she sent it, trying to understand what prompted this. Reading this message didn’t make feelings from the past flow, it didn’t make him second guess his marriage with Loki, it just left him feeling hollow. Hollow, and confused.

He didn’t even know if he should respond, and sat and stared at that message for quite some time, deciding to finally ignore it.

He was in a good place, he was a different person, and he was happy with Loki. He didn’t want to respond, but there was a nagging voice in the back of his head that kept pestering him to give an answer. There was a part of him that wanted to take her up on her offer to ask her just one question:  _ Why? _

Why did she cheat on him, why did she break his heart, why did she cause all that chaos and pain, and… and why was she sending him a message, now?

Warily, he picked up his phone, and he typed out a response, before erasing it and putting his phone down. Then he picked it up and typed out something else, before erasing it. This process continued, and he went back and forth before typing something and erasing it. Finally he settled on something and pressed send, feeling a multitude of emotions.

_ I’m free Thursday, at 12. Meet me at Asgardian Enterprises, then, and ride up to the top floor. My assistant will let me know you’re there. _

Jane’s message was instantaneous.

_ I’ll meet you there at 12, then. Thank you… I know it isn’t easy. _

Thor exhaled slowly and called Freyr, needing his best friend’s opinion on this. The man answered after a few rings, sounding a bit stressed.

“Hello?”

“Hey… are you busy?” Freyr sighed, and Thor could hear a baby crying in the background, unable to hold back a laugh. “I can call back, man.”

“No, no it’s fine,” Assured Freyr. “Just give me a moment to get Priscilla.”

Thor waited patiently while his friend calmed down his child, laughing again when his friend returned. “Isn’t it amazing that we embarked on marriage and starting a family, at the same time?”

“You know, I always found that amusing,” Answered Freyr, his tone light. “Of course, I never thought I’d see the day where you had car seats in your car, but… I’m glad that your life is what it is now, and not what it used to be.”

Thor made a non-committal noise. “Someone messaged me today.”

“...Who?”

“Jane.”

Freyr inhaled sharply. “Shit, really? What did she say?”

“She wanted to meet up with me and talk about the past. She said she had some things to get off her chest, and said that she knew I had some things to say as well.”

“Norns,” Breathed Freyr, in complete shock. “What did you say?”

“...I told her that I would meet with her Thursday afternoon.”

“Thor-”

“I know, I know, I-I just need to do this, Freyr,” Rushed Thor. “I need to understand why she did what she did. And I think if I meet with her, that it will help me get some closure.”

Freyr tutted, obviously not happy about this. “Does Loki know?” Thor remained silent, so Freyr groaned, obviously displeased with the alpha. “Thor, don’t fuck up your marriage. You  _ know _ how Loki feels about her.”

Thor let out a frustrated huff, knowing that his friend was telling the truth. “I-I’ll tell him, Freyr. Just… not today. He’s out with my mother and the babies, and we’re doing  _ really _ well; I don’t want to ruin things.”

“Thor-”

“I’ll tell him, Freyr. Just not tonight.” Assured Thor. “Just trust me; I need to do this.”

Freyr sighed, the line silent for some time. “Thor, don’t fuck up your marriage. Jane is not, and never will be, worth it. Loki is a gem, he is a god amongst men, and he loves you with his entire being. Be as fucking careful as you can.”

Thor knew this, and he felt even worse for agreeing to meet up with Jane. “I don’t love her, Freyr. And I’m not going to fuck up my marriage. I just… I just need closure, man.”

The line was silent for some time before Freyr responded. “Thor… just be careful. And  _ tell _ Loki.”

“Yeah…”

“ _ Thor- _ ”

“I’ll talk to him about it, Freyr.” Huffed Thor. “I just wanted your opinion.”

“Call me when you can, and let me know how it goes, Thor.” Sighed Freyr, concern bleeding through his tone.

“Yeah…” Thor ended the call then, feeling a multitude of mixed emotions. He knew that he needed to tell Loki, but… he didn’t think that the omega would handle it well.

He usually never kept secrets from Loki, but… this time, he might have to.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooooooooooooooo! Some drama!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I want to have this story completed before 2021 starts, so I'm doing my best to crank out these chapters. Lemme know what you think in the comments about the chapter/ the story so far, if you can :3
> 
> Thanks for reading, yall!


	18. Was It Worth It?

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki was still annoyed about seeing Jane, but he ended up just letting it go, not wanting to be concerned about her. He knew that Thor didn’t love her, and although it made him uncomfortable to think about any feelings Thor might still feel towards her, he trusted his husband, and knew that the alpha wouldn’t do anything to hurt him or damage their relationship.

So when he received a call from Gerd that Thursday, the last thing he expected to hear was more bad news about Jane. He believed that she was only calling to schedule a playdate with their children and answered his phone, happy to talk to someone that wasn’t a baby. “Hey, Gerd; what’s up?”

“Loki, hey!” Greeted Gerd, sounds of her child playing in the background. “I was calling to see if I could bring Priscilla over to play? I need to speak to someone that isn’t a baby.”

Loki snorted, looking down at his children. They were currently playing with blocks together, and it made Loki’s heart melt to see them babbling at each other, trying to figure out how to shove a square block through a circular hole. “I understand; if I watch one more episode of Paw Patrol, I’m going to lose it.”

Gerd let out a hearty laugh. “Norns, Priscilla likes Sesame Street. Every time Big Bird comes onto the screen, she giggles and claps. I think I was humming one of the theme songs from the show as I took a shower, yesterday.”

“Our children are overtaking our lives,” Sighed Loki. “Are you still breastfeeding?”

“No, I stopped a few weeks ago, she’s on a solid diet now.”

“Perfect; I don’t think a few mimosas will hurt anyone.” Responded Loki, reaching over to pluck a block from his daughter’s hand, effectively stopping her from smacking her brother with it. “When do you think you’ll be over?”

“30 minutes?” Suggested Gerd.

“Sure, we’ll see you then, hun.” Stated Loki, hanging up. He figured he should clean up a bit and called out to his nanny, asking her to watch the children while he showered and got dressed. After exiting the shower and getting dressed, Loki cleaned up the children’s playroom, heading to the door when he heard the doorbell ring.

He opened the door and greeted Gerd, taking her diaper bag to help her when he saw that her hands were full. “Hey, thanks for coming over. The babies are in their playroom.”

Gerd thanked him and entered their home, following Loki to the playroom. “How have the twins been?”

“They’re learning how to hit and bite, so… it’s been hard to make sure that they don’t do that to each other,” Sighed Loki. “I know that they don’t mean to hurt each other, but Aura almost hit him while I was on the phone with you. And if one of them hits the other, they’ll start to cry when their sibling cries, because they don’t understand that hitting or biting someone hurts them.” He shook his head then, keeping a careful eye on them as he entered the room. “Our nanny can watch the children, if that’s okay?”

“ _ Please _ ,” Begged Gerd, setting her daughter down in the play pin with the children. 

After kissing their children goodbye, Loki and Gerd walked to the kitchen, where Loki poured them their drinks. “So how have you been, Gerd?”

“Tired,” Confessed the woman, downing her drink quickly. “Priscilla is teething, so getting her to eat or sleep has been a nightmare.”

Loki made a face at this, only able to imagine how hard it was. “The twins haven’t started yet, thank the Norns.”

“They should be starting soon,” Warned Gerd. “You’re not out of the woods, yet.”

Gerd’s daughter was a month and a half older than the twins, so Loki was grateful to have Gerd as a friend. She experienced things first, and would often let him know what to expect as the twins got older.

“How’s Thor doing?” Asked Gerd, pouring herself more to drink and sipping at it. “Freyr told me about Jane.”

Loki blinked back in confusion, setting his drink down. “What about Jane? Did Frigga tell Freyr that she saw him at the mall?”

Gerd sat down her drink too, confusion on her face as well. “No… Thor told Freyr that he was meeting with Jane, today.”

Loki’s heart dropped, and he shook his head in disbelief. “What? When did he tell him this?”

“H-He told Freyr last week… did he not tell you?”

“No…” Murmured Loki, shaking his head slowly. “He didn’t.”

Gerd reached out to rub at Loki’s back, not wanting him to worry. “Loki, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.”

Loki was absolutely  _ pissed _ , and everything in him was screaming to drive over to Thor’s job and tear him a new one. He knew how seriously Thor took his job though, and understood that barging into his office to interrupt Thor’s meeting with Jane would make them both look bad professionally. “Did he say why he was meeting her?”

“I-I think he said that he wanted closure,” Explained Gerd, concern in her gaze. “Loki, I don’t think you should be worried; I’ve known Thor for  _ years _ , and he’s never loved anyone like he’s loved you. He was a complete idiot for not telling you, but I doubt that he’s meeting up with her to rekindle anything that they used to have.”

Loki honestly didn’t know what to think, as a million and one things were racing through his mind. He couldn’t believe that Thor went behind his back to meet with his ex, and stared at the wall opposite of him in the kitchen, running through his mind about how he wanted to handle this situation.

“Loki?”

He turned to look at Gerd, who looked incredibly guilty. “I’ll be fine; I’ll just speak to him about it when he gets home.” He sipped at his drink as he went over his emotions, deciding that the best thing to do would be to drop the children off at Frigga’s for the evening. He was upset, more upset than he’d been in  _ years _ , and couldn’t fight back the feelings of betrayal.

Gerd had come all the way over so that their children could play together though, so Loki suggested that they head back to the playroom, knowing that playing with their children would get his mind off of things.

Their children played together for about an hour before Gerd left, making plans to come back over next week around this time.

And now that he was alone, Loki decided that he would rain hellfire upon Thor when the alpha returned home. Thor  _ knew _ how he felt about his ex, he  _ knew _ how he felt about Thor lying to him or keeping secrets, and the fact that he still met with his ex without telling him anyway really hurt Loki.

Doubts swirled around in his head about them, and it honestly made him tear up to think about why Thor would’ve met with her. He couldn’t help but think about Thor realizing that he would always love his ex, and that their marriage would end. It had always been a fear of his when he got with Thor, and now it seemed like it was coming true.

He honestly didn’t know what he was going to do, but… regardless of whatever he did, Thor’s answer would be the determining factor. He just hoped that his worst fears weren’t coming to life.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Thor felt  _ terrible _ for lying to Loki, but he really didn’t want the omega to know that he was meeting with Jane. He knew just how much it bothered Loki to even talk about the woman, and hoped that after this meeting, he could put it all behind him.

Right at 12, Sif called him and let him know that Jane was here, so he told her to send her in, standing up from behind his desk as Jane entered. She looked…  _ sad _ almost when he saw her, and he rebuffed her when she tried to hug him, gesturing for her to sit down on the couches in his office instead.

“Hi, Thor…” She murmured, sitting down across from him. “Thank you for meeting with me, today.”

Thor gave her a stiff nod, an impassive expression on his face. “What was so important that you had to reach out to me, 20 plus years later?”

“I was at the mall this weekend, and I saw your mother and your wife,” Began Jane. “And your children… and I saw your daughter, that looked just like you.” She had a wistful expression on her face, then. “It made me think about you, Thor.”

“Think about me,  _ how _ ?”

“It made me think about how the biggest regret in my life was not marrying you.”

Thor shook his head, letting out an annoyed huff. “Jane-"

"Just let me explain, Thor." Rushed Jane. Thor remained silent, so Jane continued to speak. “Thor… I’ve been married and divorced five times. Ever since I left you, I’ve been searching for someone to love me and cherish me like you did; and I never found it.” She teared up then, reaching out to grab a tissue to dab at her eyes. “I’m fucking 45, have no husband, no kids, and I’ve never bonded to someone. And I keep looking back at that moment 23 years ago where I broke up with you, and left you for Eric. And it was the  _ biggest _ mistake of my  _ life _ , Thor!”

She shook her head and let out a broken sound, overcome with emotion. “I keep wishing I could go back, and not do what I did, but I can’t, and I’m  _ sorry _ ! When I saw your children I couldn’t help but think they should’ve been  _ ours _ !”

“No,” Interrupted Thor, shaking his head quickly. “You don’t get to say that.”

“Thor-”

“You fucked my best friend, rejected my proposal, and broke my fucking heart, and you have the  _ gall _ to come back into my life when I’m happily married, and try and guilt trip me into leaving my wife for you?” Thor gritted out, a pissed look on his face. “You made your bed; now lie in it. I’m sorry that you feel you wasted your life marrying pathetic alphas, but… that isn’t my problem.”

Jane dabbed at her eyes again, getting frustrated with him. “I don’t even know why I came.”

“You came because you thought you could sway me like you always did, and I’m struggling to understand why you thought that it would work.” Thor narrowed his eyes at her, feeling nothing but annoyance and disgust. “I invited you here because I thought you would apologize, and we could get the closure that we needed; if you’re just going to speak about how you wish you could go back, you might as well leave.”

Jane roughly grabbed her purse, standing up to glare at Thor. “This was stupid, I-I don’t even know why I tried.” She stormed out of his office and slammed the door shut, so Thor sighed, taking a moment to calm down.

He regretted inviting her to his office, as he didn’t get the closure he wanted. No, instead he was left with frustrating feelings, and he didn’t want them. He stood up from his couch and made his way over to his desk, picking up a picture of his family. They’d just taken it a few weeks ago, and were each holding a twin, proud smiles on their faces.

And he knew then that he needed to tell Loki about today. It didn’t sit right with him to lie to Loki about this, as he  _ was _ happy with Loki. Meeting with Jane today helped him realize that he  _ was _ over her. He loved Loki, loved him more than anything in this life besides their children, and didn’t want to keep things from him.

Guilt consumed him as he worked through his day, and he ended up leaving work early at 4:30, wanting to just get home and see his family. All throughout his drive home he could only think of how much it would hurt Loki to hear that he went behind his back to meet with Jane, and he wondered how he would make it up to him.

He pulled into the driveway of their home and made his way into the home, surprised that it was so quiet. It wasn’t the babies’ nap time, so he rounded the corner and saw Loki sitting on the couch, the children nowhere in sight. “...Loki?”

Loki looked up at the sound of Thor’s voice, a cool expression on his face. “You’re home early.”

Thor set down his briefcase on the coffee table, wondering what was wrong. Loki was usually the first one to greet him with a hug and kiss when he got home, an excited smile on his face. Today though, Loki looked grim, and it looked like he had been drinking. “Loki, where are the children?”

“They’re with your mother,” Answered Loki, sipping at his wine. “I asked her to watch them tonight.”

Thor moved to sit down next to Loki, confused when the omega scooted away from him. “Loki?”

“Please don’t touch me.”

Now Thor was pissed, and he narrowed his eyes at the man, reaching out to rest a hand on his thigh. “Loki-”

“I said don’t fucking  _ touch _ me!” Shouted Loki, smacking Thor’s hand away.

“Loki, what the hell?” Growled Thor, annoyed pheromones pouring from him. “I had a long day at work, I-”

“I bet you had a  _ loooooong _ fucking day with that woman!” Hissed Loki, his eyes narrowed into slits. He was furious, absolutely  _ furious _ , and stood up roughly, beginning to pace. “I know about you meeting with Jane, Thor!”

The color drained from Thor’s face, and he rose quickly, reaching out to pull Loki closer. “Loki, I can explain, I-”

Loki turned on Thor fiercely, the wine in his glass spilling onto the floor below. “What the hell is there to explain?! You went behind my back and met up with your fucking  _ ex _ !” He pulled down his turtleneck, revealing the scar from their bond. “Does this mean nothing to you?” He gestured around them then, shaking his head quickly. “What was the point of all of this?! This home? Our children? This  _ marriage _ ?!”

Thor felt terrible for hurting Loki like this, and he reached out again, trying to calm him. “Loki-”

“I can’t even  _ look _ at you right now! I’m pissed, Thor! I’m fucking  _ furious _ because my husband and mate doesn’t know how to keep the past in the past!” Yelled Loki, throwing his wine glass against the wall and shattering it. “Why am I always second best?! Why am I not good enough?!”

“Loki…” Murmured Thor, a pained look in his eyes. “You  _ are _ good enough, you’re  _ more  _ than enough!”

“Then why did you meet with her?! Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Because I didn’t want to hurt you, Loki!” Stressed Thor, keeping his distance from the volatile omega.

“Oh fucking bull  _ shit,  _ Thor!” Raged Loki, pointing an accusing finger at his face. “I should’ve  _ known _ I was never good enough for you! I gave you every single part of me, I trusted you, I  _ married _ you and gave birth to your fucking kids, and all you can think about is that fucking woman?!” 

Loki’s entire face was red, and hurt tears were streaming from his eyes as he glared at Thor. “You’re fucking married, Thor! You’re bonded to me! You have a family with me! Why does she even matter?!”

“She doesn’t! She doesn’t matter, Loki, she doesn’t matter!”

“Then why did you meet with her?!” Shouted Loki, searching Thor’s pained gaze with fearsome eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?! What was so fucking important about meeting with her that you had to lie to me!”

Thor exhaled slowly, trying to calm down. “I just wanted closure, Loki…” The look Loki shot him broke his heart, and he tried to reach out again, wanting Loki to sit down with him so that they could talk about this. “Loki-”

“What closure do you need?” Exploded Loki, absolute murder in his eyes. “Your closure happened the day you asked me to marry you and bond to you! If there was  _ any _ doubt in your heart and mind, you shouldn’t have progressed our relationship! You should’ve just remained the lonely old man that you were, and let me live my life!”

It hurt Thor deeply to hear Loki speak like this, as he knew the omega was right. He ended up sitting down on the couch and looked down at the floor, hating that he was causing Loki so much pain. “I don’t love her, Loki… and I didn’t meet with her because there were still feelings of love in my heart for her.”

“Then  _ answer  _ my fucking question; why did you meet with her?” Hissed Loki, absolute venom in his voice.

“Because I wanted to know  _ why _ she left the way she did, Loki,” Sighed Thor, looking over at him sadly. “I wanted to know why she had to choose one of my best friends to cheat on me with. I wanted to know why after all these years, she sent me a message.” He wiped at the corners of his eyes, the guilt over making Loki this upset getting to him. “I-I know I should’ve told you, Loki. But I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Right, like I’m  _ so _ much happier because you didn’t tell me,” Scoffed Loki, rolling his eyes and moving to grab something. “Happy fucking Valentine’s Day, Thor.” He tossed the alpha’s gifts over at him and stormed out of the room, heading upstairs to their bedroom. He couldn’t even  _ look _ at Thor because he was so hurt, and grabbed some night clothes to put on, wanting to take a bath.

He poured the berry plum scent he’d become fond of lately into the bath, stripping off his clothes from the day. He loaded the bath with bath salts and soap, stepping into the warm water and sighing softly as he slid into the water. Once he was settled, he turned on the aqua jets and relaxed back further, trying to let the water calm him down. He was admittedly buzzed from the wine, but his emotions from earlier were very real, and he needed to be away from Thor to calm down.

He knew that some of the things he said hurt Thor, but he was so upset by the alpha’s words, and didn’t want to sit and talk. No, he wanted to be alone, and come to terms with his marriage, and how Thor’s actions affected it.

Loki remained in this bath for quite some time, only getting out when his skin began to prune. Lotion was applied to his skin after he dried off, and he dressed in his night clothes, making sure to dry his hair before exiting the bathroom.

He was annoyed to see Thor waiting for him on their bed, and walked right past him, tossing his towel into their hamper and going over to his side of the bed. “I think it’d be a good idea for you to sleep in the guest room, tonight.”

It hurt Thor’s heart to hear this, and he looked over at his spouse, a mournful expression on his face. “Loki… please talk to me.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at his husband, getting upset all over again. “I don't want to talk!”

“Loki,  _ please _ ,” Murmured Thor, pleading with him.

As upset as Loki was, he didn’t want to actively hurt Thor, and gulped nervously, shaking his head and wiping at his eyes as more tears welled in them. “What? What do you want to say?”

“I want to say that I’m sorry…”

“Thor-”

Thor reached out, taking Loki’s hand in his. “I shouldn’t have gone. I should’ve spoken to you about it… I shouldn’t have hid it from you.”

All of Loki’s anger and frustration turned into hurt and pain, and he began to tremble as he cried. “Why am I not good enough for you, Thor? What do I have to do to prove to you that I’m not going to hurt you like she did?”

Thor pulled Loki into his arms, resting his chin atop of Loki’s head as the omega cried. “You’re too good for me, Loki… you’re more than enough for me, and you always will be.” Loki continued to cry in his arms, and Thor felt absolutely terrible, knowing that this was all his fault. “I met with her because I was being stupid. I don’t love her, I never will love her, and you’re it for me, Loki. I wouldn’t have bonded to you, I wouldn’t have married you, I wouldn’t have had children with you, or bought this house together, if you didn’t hold every ounce of my heart.”

“Then why did you meet with her?” Asked Loki, continuing to weep into Thor’s chest.

“I just wanted to know why she left, Loki…”

“Why does it  _ matter _ ?!” Questioned Loki, his voice breaking with emotion. “Why does it matter? Why do you care about it still? It’s been 23 freaking  _ years _ , alpha! And I can’t, I  _ can’t _ keep doing this with you! Either you love me or you don’t! Either you want to be with me completely, or you don’t! But make up your  _ mind _ , Thor! Because I can’t keep wondering if you love me, or if I’m ever going to be enough for you!”

Every single one of Loki’s concerns were valid, and Thor pulled away to take his hands in his, staring deeply into Loki’s sage green eyes and searching them. “I do love you, Loki. And you are enough for me. You’re absolutely right; I shouldn’t have cared about why she left, or why she did what she did. I am content with us, with our family, with our  _ bond _ . I don’t want Jane, I don’t want anyone else, I just want  _ you _ .”

He kissed Loki’s knuckles then, holding them tightly in his hands. “I messed up. I made a stupid decision, and I shouldn’t have gone… you have every right to be upset with me, and I’ll do whatever I can to prove to you that you  _ are _ enough, omega…”

Loki could hear the sincerity in Thor’s voice, and he could feel through their bond that Thor genuinely meant what he said. He closed his eyes when Thor leaned in to kiss him, tearing up again when the alpha pulled away. “I don’t want her to cause issues in our marriage anymore, Thor…”

“And she won’t,” Assured Thor, kissing Loki again. “I love  _ you _ , Loki. I don’t want what we have, with anyone else. And I never will.” The second he saw that he got through to Loki he hugged him close, nestling his face into the crook of Loki’s neck in a rare display of submissiveness that alphas usually didn’t show. “I’m sorry, omega.”

Loki pulled Thor closer, basking in the warmth that his embrace offered. “I-I’m sorry too, alpha…”

The pair hugged each other for what felt like hours, before they pulled back to share a reassuring kiss. Thor was just relieved that Loki accepted his apology and forgave him, so he stood up and grabbed a large canvas, handing it to Loki. “Happy Valentine’s Day, love…”

Loki blinked back in surprise, staring down at the canvas and inhaling sharply. “Thor…” The alpha had gotten him a stained glass portrait of their family, and Loki was awed at how beautiful it was. “Thor… alpha, this is  _ amazing _ !”

“You like it?” Asked Thor, a hopeful smile on his face. 

“Yes! I love it!” Gushed Loki, continuing to stare at the portrait in awe. “Norns, this is lovely! This is going in the living room, tomorrow.”

Thor gently took the painting and set it down on the side of their bed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a large jewelry box. “I got you one more thing, omega…”

Loki widened his eyes, taking the box and opening it. He breathed in slowly, awed by the gift. “Alpha…” Thor had gotten him a white gold bracelet, with two brilliant, green gems in its center.

“It’s the birthstone of Luca and Aura,” Murmured Thor.

Loki clipped the bracelet onto his wrist and marveled at it, tearing up when the gravity of the events of the day finally hit him. He had been so rude, and he knew that he could’ve handled himself better. He reached out to take Thor’s hand, more tears welling in his eyes. “I’m sorry, alpha… I should’ve come to you more calmly… I shouldn’t have yelled… I should’ve-”

Thor gently squeezed Loki’s hands, not wanting him to worry. “No, love… had the roles been reversed, I would’ve been just as upset.” He brought Loki’s knuckles to his lips and kissed them, not wanting him to cry any more. “I’m sorry for hurting you, Loki… I didn’t want to hurt you like this… I never want to hurt you like this again…” His voice broke at the end, and he looked away, quickly wiping at his eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

It broke Loki’s heart to see his husband so distraught, and he scooted closer to him, pulling him into his arms. “I-I know, Thor, I know.” 

The pair remained in each other’s arms, reassuring each other that they were sorry, and that they would do better, moving forward. They were each hurting, not just from their words and actions, but how their words and actions affected each other, and felt terrible for how this day played out.

Loki felt incredibly guilty for saying the things he said about Thor, and wiped at his tears, apologizing again. “I’m sorry, alpha…”

Thor smiled sadly, shaking his head. “No, love… I’m sorry.” He placed a warm kiss against Loki’s temple, not wanting him to worry. He felt just as bad as Loki did; the last thing he wanted was to hurt his spouse this deeply. “What would you like to do, tonight? I asked our chef to come and cook us a nice meal… do you still want to celebrate?”

“I do,” Murmured Loki, reaching out to caress Thor’s cheek. “Please…”

Even though the events of the day had been rough, the pair did want to enjoy each other, and wanted to enjoy the night now that their children were with Frigga. The pair really hated arguing or hurting each other, and they each knew that it would take some time for Loki to trust Thor again.

They were confident that they could overcome this though, just like they’d overcome everything else.

✬⭒✭⭒✮


	19. Reconciliation

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After that wretched Valentine’s day, Thor and Loki’s relationship took some time to heal from Thor’s actions. True to his word, he did everything he could to ensure that Loki could learn to trust him again, and did his best to repair the damage he put on the relationship. And it did take time for Loki to feel like their marriage wasn’t fractured anymore. It took even longer for him to truly believe that Thor was truly committed to their marriage, their life, and their family, and was relieved that he was finally able to feel this when the twins turned one.

Now that they’d been married for two and a half years, Loki was settling into his marriage and his career. Angrboda had been moved to a different department when Loki first got pregnant, so he didn’t have to worry about possessive coworkers that creeped him out. Natalie was still on his team, and they were closer now that she’d had her first child, so Loki was finally feeling that his life was the way that he always wanted it to be.

Of course, the thought of his family did come into his mind every once and awhile, but… he’d learned over the years to let the thought of reconciliation go. He’d meant it when he’d told his entire family he wanted nothing to do with them until they apologized to him, and they hadn’t done that so… it’d been about 3 and a half years since he’d spoken to his family.

And he tried his best to pretend that this didn’t hurt him.

When the twins were 1 and a half, Thor and Loki decided to take them to a Christmas event in their city that was being held at the mall on their side of town. They wanted the twins to meet Santa and have fun now that they were walking and talking a bit, and believed that the event would be fun for them.

Now that they were older, their personalities were more apparent, and Loki often found himself laughing as he observed his children each day. There were parts of their personalities that were so much like him, and there were parts that were so much like Thor, and then there were parts that were uniquely their own, which was a beautiful thing to see develop.

After getting their children out of the car, Thor and Loki strapped them into their stroller and locked their car, making their way into the mall. The Christmas event was being held on the first floor of the mall, so Loki and Thor headed downstairs, getting in line to take pictures with Santa.

Thor was amazed that the line was so long and frowned, looking around Loki and trying to guess how much time they had before they got to the front of the line. “Norns, this line is long.”

“I know,” Sighed Loki, a slight frown on his face as well. “Should we let the twins do some of the other activities before they go see Santa?”

“No,” Answered Thor, looking down at their children. “Getting pictures with Santa is the most important thing.”

Loki snorted, amused at how serious Thor was about this. For every milestone -whether it was Christmas or Halloween- Thor wanted pictures of their twins and their family, and would proudly display them around the home and in his office at work. He cherished these holidays like no other, so Loki just gave in and listened, amused by how seriously Thor took these events. “If we get pictures taken, we should be able to send out Christmas cards by the end of the week.”

“You’re right,” Murmured Thor, pulling out his phone. “Think we can get that photographer from last year to take our family picture for the holidays?”

“We could just use the picture we get today, with Santa.” Suggested Loki.

Thor shook his head no, searching through his contacts to try and find the photographer he wanted. “No, I want these pictures to look professional.”

“Okay,” Snorted Loki, reaching down to play with their children. The twins were currently babbling to each other in an adorable language that Loki didn’t understand, so he made kissing noises at them to catch their attention, rubbing at their cheeks. “Hi, Luca! Hi, Aura! Want to talk to Mommy?”

Both twins babbled at him happily, cries of, “Mama! Mama!” leaving their lips as they begged to be picked up. 

Loki picked up Luca first and kissed his temple a few times before unbuckling Aura and picking her up as well, making sure to give her just as many kisses. He’d gained some serious arm strength over the year because the twins got jealous of each other if he was only holding one of them, and he settled them comfortably on his hips, pointing at people dressed as elves and the various sights and sounds.

To their frustration, it took 30 minutes for them to get to the front of the line, and Loki and Thor did their best to keep the twins entertained the whole time, making sure to get extra happy when it was their turn to see Santa Clause. “Look, Luca and Aura! It’s Santa!” Gushed Loki, pointing in wonder to get the twins excited. “It’s Santa!”

Luca and Aura perked up and squirmed to get out of Loki’s arms, toddling over to Santa once Loki set them down. They cheered and babbled happily as Santa greeted them, picking them up one by one.

“Well, hello there!” Greeted the man dressed as Santa, setting Luca and Aura in his lap. “Who do we have here?”

“The little boy is named Luca,” Answered Loki, blowing kisses at his children while Thor cheered and recorded the encounter. “And his younger twin sister is named Aura.”

“Hello, Luca and Aura!” Grinned Santa, hugging the toddlers close as they hugged him. “Ho, ho, ho! Aren’t you both  _ lovely _ ?”

Luca babbled happily, pulling at Santa’s beard and pointing to Thor. “Baba! Baba!”

“Yeah, Santa has a beard just like Papa!” Cooed Thor, zooming in on Luca’s face for a moment before changing the angle to Aura, who was touching Santa’s long pipe. “Baba! G’pa!”

Thor and Loki had gotten quite adept at understanding their children’s babbles, so Thor understood this bit of baby speech as Aura pointing out how Santa was smoking, just like their grandfather Odin. Of course, the pipe in Santa’s mouth wasn’t lit and was only for show. “That’s right, sweetheart! Just like grandpa!”

“Can you both say Santa?” Asked Loki, sounding out the word carefully. “S-an-ta! Say it with Mommy, babies.”

“‘Ta! ‘Ta! ‘Ta!” Cheered the twins, giggling with happiness as Thor and Loki praised them for doing their best. They were only 16 months, and couldn’t exactly speak complete words yet, but the pair were proud nevertheless for their children trying.

The pair watched as the photographer took numerous photos of the twins on Santa’s lap, waving at their children and blowing them kisses to keep them entertained. After buying the photos from the photographer, and getting the images emailed to them, Loki and Thor picked up their twins and placed them back into their stroller, thanking Santa and his elves before leaving.

Now that they’d gotten their pictures out of the way, Thor and Loki decided to let the children play in the Winter Wonderland that the mall had set up for the children aged five and under. It consisted of various coloring stations and block building stations, and even had fake snow for the children to play in, and a train ride for the toddlers.

They parked their stroller and locked it, with Loki taking Aura and Thor taking Luca as they entered this area of the mall, deciding to go with what was closest- the train ride.

It was admittedly hard for Thor to squeeze himself into the train seats, but he did so anyway, kissing his son’s cheek and smiling as the boy giggled. “Are you having fun Luca?” 

“Yeah!” Cheered the boy, saying one of the few words he knew.

Thor took his son’s hand and pointed at Loki and Aura, who were sitting in a train car across from them. “Look, Luca! There’s Mommy and Aura!”

Luca’s entire face lit up, and he waved energetically at his mother and sister, calling out to them. “Mama! Auwa! Auwa!”

It was so  _ cute _ to hear how Luca pronounced his sister’s name, and Loki made sure to wave back, pointing for Aura so she could see her brother was calling out to her. Aura broke out into the most radiant grin, and she waved happily at her father and brother, calling out to them. “Baba! Wuca! Wuca!” She couldn’t quite say her “L’s” yet, but Loki and Thor didn’t mind, as their children were developing right on par with national averages for their developmental milestones.

The pair and their children enjoyed the train ride, and made sure to take lots of pictures and videos of the event. Once the train ride was over, Loki met back up with Thor and kissed him and Luca, relieved that the children still seemed like they wanted to have fun.

They took them to play in the fake snow next, taking pictures and recording the children making snow angels and hopping around in the piles. It seemed like they were getting along well with the other children, so Thor and Loki watched from nearby, happy that their children were having fun.

“...Loki?”

Loki turned at the sound of his name, his face going white with shock when he saw who called out to him. “...Byleistr?” 

His older brother had tears in his eyes, and he let go of his wife’s hand, warily approaching him. “Norns… it is you.”

Loki didn’t really know what to say, and was still hurt by all of the pain his family caused him over the years. “Well, it was nice seeing you. If you could pretend that you  _ didn _ ’ _ t _ see me, I’d appreciate it.”

His brother Byleistr shook his head and reached out, trying to take Loki’s hand. “Loki, wait!  _ Please _ !”

Loki shot his brother a frustrated look, snatching his hand out of his brother’s. “Unless you’re wanting to apologize, I don’t want to hear a  _ damn _ thing.”

The pair stared off with each other before Byleistr nodded, clutching Loki’s hand. “I-I am! I-I’m sorry, Loki!” He wiped at his eyes and shook his head, trying to compose himself. “I’m so sorry!”

Loki shot Thor a nervous look, and Thor nodded at him, silently letting him know that he would support whatever Loki wanted to do.

People were starting to stare at them as Byleistr broke down, and Loki  _ hated _ undue attention, so he huffed, gesturing for his brother to follow him over to a seated area in the children’s Winter Wonderland. “Why did you approach me?”

Byleistr sniffed, wiping at his eyes and giving Loki a broken look. “Y-You have a family! Y-You moved on, a-and closed us out, a-and-”

“No,” Interrupted Loki, getting upset. “No,  _ you _ shut yourselves out of my life. You  _ chose _ to not attend my wedding, you  _ chose _ to stop speaking to me, everything that you missed out on was because you couldn’t get over yourselves! And if you’re going to keep blaming me for  _ your _ problems, then I think we’re done here.” 

He moved to stand, shocked when his brother reached out to grab his hand. “Wait, Loki!”

Loki snatched his hand out of his brother’s, pissed with him. “Why? I didn’t choose to end things; you did.” He watched as his brother struggled with that fact, his face contorting in pain and frustration. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this!”

Loki growled low in his throat, turning fiercely on his brother. “Then what was it supposed to be like?”

“W-We thought you wouldn’t marry him!” Confessed Byleister. “We thought you wouldn’t marry him if we didn’t show up! Mother believed that you would come to us when you were ready to apologize, but you never did, and-”

“Because I have nothing to apologize for!” Exploded Loki, pointing a stern finger in his brother’s face. “What do you think I did wrong?”

Byleister licked at his lower lip nervously, averting his gaze. “Y-You aren’t following the ways of the Church anymore, y-you stopped listening to Mother and Father, you’re disrespectful to your alpha and your family, you-”

“I don’t have time for this,” Huffed Loki, turning around and walking away.

“Loki!” Shouted his brother, grabbing at his wrist and pulling him back. “Loki,  _ wait!” _

“I will do no such thing!” Yelled Loki in turn, snatching his arm fiercely out of his brother’s grasp. “ _ Don’t _ fucking touch me again!”

“Just  _ listen  _ to me!” Begged Byleistr, a pleading look in his eyes. 

Loki clenched his jaw, more upset than he’d been in a long time. “Why in the  _ hell _ would I listen to you go on and on about how I’m a terribly defiant omega?! I live my life the way I want to, and that’s all that matters to me! And if you can’t accept that then fuck  _ off _ !”

“I want to!” Wept Byleistr, breaking down again. “Fuck, I-I want to, Loki! I want to!”

The hurt in Loki’s gaze swirled around with his disbelief and his minor hope, and he stared at his brother in silence, waiting for him to explain.

“I  _ want _ to accept you, Loki! I-I don’t want to be bothered by the person you’ve become, if you’re proud of it! I-I miss you!” His brother crumbled down to his knees then, sobbing into his hands. “I miss you! And I’m so sorry for hurting you! I’m so sorry I wasn’t there!”

Seeing his brother sobbing like this really unsettled Loki, and he wiped at the tears that were forming in his eyes, biting at a lower lip and looking away as he gathered himself together. “...I’ll text you my address. You can meet me there later tonight, where we can speak in private.”

Byleister looked up at him in hope, wiping at his eyes and smiling. “Really?”

“Yes,” Sighed Loki, taking a few steps back. “It’s your choice if you come. Um… goodbye.”

“Wait, Loki!” Gasped his brother, standing back up. “C-Can I take a picture of the children? To show Mother?”

Loki didn’t really feel too comfortable with this, and shook his head no. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Byleistr…”

His brother’s shoulders fell in disappointment, but the beta seemed to understand. “C-Can I at least see them?”

“...You can look at them, but I don’t feel comfortable with you introducing yourself to them yet.” Sighed Loki, a pensive expression on his face.

Byleistr nodded, so Loki led him near where Thor was with the children, seeing that they were all coloring together at a table. His brother teared up all over again when he saw their children, and shook his head, crying into his hands. “Norns! We missed  _ everything _ !”

Loki felt  _ very _ uncomfortable, and began to step away. “You can come over around 8…”

“O-Okay, I-I’ll be there!” Promised his brother.

Loki turned away before his brother could say anything else, and wiped at his tears, speeding over to his children and Thor.

Thor looked up as Loki sat down next to them, worried when he saw that Loki was crying. “Norns… is everything alright, omega?”

Loki bit a lower lip and nodded, trying to keep himself together. “Later.”

“Alright,” Murmured Thor, understanding completely. He kissed Loki’s temple and rubbed at his side. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Murmured Loki, leaning into Thor’s touch. 

Luca and Aura seemed to notice his tears and gasped, tearing up themselves. “Mama! No!” They wept, their adorable bottom lips quivering as they saw Loki tear up even more. “No, Mama!”

“Mommy’s alright, you two,” Assured Loki, pulling the twins into his lap and kissing away their tears. “Mommy’s fine.”

The twins continued to cry, not convinced that Loki was fine, so Loki kissed their cheeks dozens of times, humming and bouncing them in his lap to show them that he was fine.

It wasn’t until he began to pretend to gobble them up for being too cute that the children stopped crying, and he shot Thor a relieved look, handing him Aura. “I think it’s time to feed them, Thor. They’re still a bit cranky.”

Thor hummed in agreement, standing with Loki and heading back to where they parked and locked their stroller. He noticed that Loki’s brother Byleistr was still watching them, and tried to block his view, placing their children back into their stroller, and heading upstairs to the food court.

The children were seemingly better once they got some food in them, and after walking around the mall for a bit the family decided to leave, packing up the twins and their stroller, and heading home.

The ride home was silent, and for that, Loki was thankful. His head was swirling with thoughts of his brother, thoughts of his family, and he found himself wondering if he really wanted to bring his family back into his life. They’d just caused him so much pain, and the years that he wasn’t talking to them were some of the best years of his life. He’d married the love of his life, he became a mother, he was advancing in his career, and he was content with the person that he was.

And he didn’t want his family to come back into his life if that meant that everything he’d built would fall down around him.

After he and Thor arrived home, Loki put the twins down to nap for 2 hours and made his way outside to he and Thor’s patio, baby monitor hooked to his hip in case one of the twins needed him. Their outside patio overlooked their pool, and Loki laid out in one of the lounging chairs, sighing and closing his eyes.

Seeing his brother today really messed with his head, and he just really needed some time to himself to sort through his thoughts. He was relieved that Thor was giving him some space, and relaxed out here for quite some time, not minding the cold.

When he began to shiver though he decided that he should head back inside, and did just that, a soft smile on his face when he saw that Thor had two mugs of hot cocoa in his hands. He kissed the alpha’s cheek and took the mug Thor extended to him, feeling much better. “Thank you.”

Thor hummed and gestured for Loki to follow him to the barstools at their counter, pulling out his chair for him before sitting down. “I just checked on the children; they’re still asleep and should be for the next hour or so.”

“Thank you,” Murmured Loki, sipping at the warm drink. His smile only grew when he saw that Thor had placed marshmallows in it, and reached out, stroking at his husband’s beard. “You’re so good to me, alpha.”

Thor sipped at his drink and rubbed at Loki’s thigh affectionately. “You’re even better.” He set down his mug and continued to rub at Loki’s thigh, a gentle look in his eyes. “Do you feel better?”

“A little,” Murmured Loki, his hand coming down to rest on top of Thor’s. “I invited him over tonight… I told him to come around 8.”

Thor hummed softly. “Do you want me to be there?”

“Please,” Murmured Loki, a pained look in his eyes. “I need someone that believes in me and is on my side.”

Leaning forward, Thor kissed him, a reassuring hand coming to stroke at his cheek. “Of course; whatever you need me to do, we’ll do.”

Loki melted against Thor’s kiss, the love his alpha had for him resonating through their bond. “I think I want to lay down for a bit, before dinner.”

“Sure; I’ll wake you up when dinner’s ready.” Assured Thor, downing the rest of his hot cocoa.

Thanking him, Loki finished his hot cocoa and took their mugs, placing them in their kitchen sink before heading upstairs to their room. He quickly changed into comfortable lounge clothes and climbed into bed, the silken sheets comforting him and encouraging him to do the one thing that would lessen his anxiety; sleep.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Dinner was at 7, and after finishing and washing the twins, they read their children a quick bedtime story and put them to sleep, kissing their round faces and turning off the light to their room. They couldn’t believe that their children were as old as they were sometimes, and had fond smiles on their faces as they headed downstairs, baby monitor on Loki’s hip.

They settled themselves in their living room, with Loki twiddling his thumbs. He was so nervous, so  _ fucking _ nervous, and felt his heart leap into his throat when his doorbell rang. “Fuck…”

“Hey,” Murmured Thor, reaching out and taking Loki’s hand in his. “It’s alright; you can do this.”

Loki closed his eyes when Thor kissed him, and pulled him in for a hug, the love and assurance that his alpha had for him resonating through their bond. “A-Alright. I-I’m ready.”

He released his husband and stood, taking his hand and heading towards their front door. His heart was  _ pounding _ in anticipation, his senses heightened and over-aware, and he gulped nervously as he opened his door, going pale and taking a step back when he saw who was there.

He’d assumed that Byleistr was the only one that wanted to speak to him, and he was shocked beyond belief to see his mother standing there by his side.

No one said anything for what seemed like minutes, so Thor gently squeezed Loki’s shoulder, letting him know that whatever he decided to do, he would stand by him.

Finally Loki moved to act, exhaling slowly in an effort to calm down. “I didn’t know you were bringing him, Byleistr…”

“I-I wanted to come, baby,” His mother whispered, his voice beginning to break. “I-I wanted to come.”

Hearing his mother call him this made him feel a multitude of emotions, and he turned his head and took in a shaking breath, trying to decide what he wanted to do. He had told himself he would  _ never _ speak to his mother again after he tried to force him to get married in their church’s faith, and after he coerced him into donating to their church, and to see him right here, right now, a face that matched his, broke him.

He whimpered and turned around, wrapping his arms into Thor’s chest and beginning to sob. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to say, and just cried, jumping in Thor’s arms when he felt an unsure hand on his back.

“Don’t cry, baby,” Whispered his mother, his voice trembling with emotion.

Loki couldn’t remember the last time he had been comforted by his mother, and began to cry harder, wanting nothing more than to get their children, climb into he and Thor’s massive bed, and cry until the pain in his heart went away.

He knew it wouldn’t be fair to turn his family away, though -they lived an hour away in another town- so he sniffed and slowly untangled himself from Thor’s embrace, wiping at his eyes and staring at his brother and his mother. “Um… you can come in.” 

He and Thor stepped aside so that Laufey and Byleistr could enter their home, and Loki couldn’t help but narrow his eyes in annoyance and frustration when he heard them gasp as they took in the extravagant home. He and Thor had gotten it redone in an upscale, modern style while he was pregnant with the twins, and loved how immaculate it looked.

Loki knew though that his mother was most likely looking at his place in envy. He could already hear the speech that his mother was going to give him; “Loki, why didn’t you invite us to live with you? You have money now, you should be sharing it with us, this place is too big for just you and Thor.”.

“Um, follow us to the living room, please.” Muttered Loki, gesturing for his mother and brother to follow them.

He and Thor sat down a few seats away from them -the couch in their living room was arranged in a half rectangle, with every spot on the couch able to recline- and remained silent, with Thor gently taking his hand to encourage him to speak.

Loki shot him a weak smile and finally looked up at his brother and his mother, his heart still beating nervously in his chest. “Um…”

Laufey’s eyes shifted nervously to Thor, and he quickly looked over at his son Byleistr before returning his attention to the alpha. “Um, Thor… I would like this to remain a private conversation between the family.”

Loki shook his head no immediately, not wanting to hear it. “No; if we speak, he stays.”

“But he’s an alpha…” Murmured Laufey, biting at a lower lip. “Your father or your older brother aren’t here…”

In Loki’s family’s religion, omegas usually didn’t speak to alphas that weren’t their family unless their alpha spouses or children were present. Loki understood that this was what his mother meant, but he also knew that Thor was now a part of their family, because they were married. “We’re married, so… he will remain here.”

Laufey’s face fell, and his entire body crumbled in on himself when Loki said this. “You  _ married _ him?”

Loki offered him a stiff nod. “We’ve been married for three years.”

His mother broke down completely when he heard this, and Loki looked away, his mother’s sobs causing his heart to wrench painfully in his chest.

“I didn’t know you’d actually marry him!” Wept Laufey, leaning into the comforting embrace of Byleistr. “I thought you would call it off and come home!”

_ “Why?” _ Hissed Loki, narrowing his eyes and turning back to face his mother. “Why would I not marry the love of my life?”

“I-I didn’t want you to get married outside of the church, Loki!” Explained his mother, whimpering and wiping at his tears. “I-I don’t want my baby to go to Helheim!”

Loki shook his head and wiped at the tears beginning to sprout in his eyes. “That’s  _ your _ belief. Thor and I have a different faith, and that’s  _ not _ a bad thing.”

“That’s not how I raised you!” Argued his mother, sitting up and looking at Loki with a broken look. “All my life I’ve just been trying to  _ save  _ you, Loki! I-I don’t want you going to Helheim, for eternal damnation! I-I just want to know that my baby is safe, and living according to the Norns’ decree!”

“That’s  _ your  _ belief and  _ your  _ religion!” Tsked Loki, clenching his jaw in frustration. “I’m no longer a part of the church, and I am perfectly fine with living my life this way. And if you’re going to be in my life, and see your grandchildren, then you need to accept that.”

Laufey’s entire face fell when he heard that he had grandchildren from Loki, and he fell in on himself, the sobs racking from his body causing Loki’s gut to twist painfully. His mother weeped against Byleistr’s side for minutes, heartbroken that he’d missed all of Loki’s major milestones.

Loki honestly didn’t know what to think of Laufey’s breakdown, and looked down at the floor, at he and Thor’s intertwined hands, at the wall across the room, anything to avoid looking at his mother’s sobbing form.

“Why didn’t you tell us, Loki?” Wept his mother, his face still buried in Byleistr’s chest.

“Why would I tell you anything after what you did to me?” Growled Loki, getting upset all over again. “No one told you that you couldn’t come to my wedding, no one told you that you couldn’t be a part of my pregnancy or my life,  _ you  _ were the sole decider of that!”

Laufey opened his mouth to speak but Loki was quicker, continuing his rant. “I  _ needed _ you, and you abandoned me! So don’t think that your tears can sway me or make me feel bad for not reaching out to you!  _ You  _ caused this!”

His mother just shook his head, biting a lower lip as he continued to cry. “All my life I have tried to be a good mother, Loki! I-I’ve loved you-”

“You’ve  _ loved _ me?!” Shouted Loki, an incredulous look on his face. “What have you  _ ever _ done to prove that you’ve loved me?!”

“Don’t you  _ dare _ say that! Don’t you dare say that I don’t love you!” Growled Laufey, a pissed look on his face.

“Because you don’t! You don’t! You don’t love me! You love twisting my words, manipulating my mind, making me feel so weak and insignificant just so that I can be your perfect little omega son, and I am  _ sick  _ and  _ tired  _ of it! No more!” Raged Loki, his face getting red with emotion.

“Lok-”

“You fucking did this! You weren’t there! You weren’t there for me! You weren’t there when I was getting bullied growing up, you weren’t there when I got married, you weren’t there when I had children, you missed  _ everything _ ! And that’s your fault! All I wanted you to do was  _ love  _ me!” Yelled Loki, his voice breaking at the end. “I just wanted you to accept me! So what if I don’t follow the same faith as you?! Who cares if I dress differently, or have different beliefs?! That doesn’t mean you should stop loving me!”

“What did you want me to  _ do _ , Loki?! I tried my best with you! You turned away, you  _ rejected _ me, you-”

Loki let out a cutting laugh, throwing his hands in the air. “How did I reject you? Was it when I decided I wanted to live my life? When I decided I wanted to go to college? When I decided I wanted to work and not be a housewife?  _ You  _ abandoned  _ me, _ mother! Not the other way around!”

The room was drenched in pissed and heartbroken pheromones, and remained silent as Laufey and Loki stared at each other, passion and heartache in their gaze.

Finally, Byleistr spoke, trying to explain. “We could’ve been better to you, Loki…”

Laufey turned on Byleistr then. “Son! How could you-”

“Look at him, Mother! He’s hurting, and just as broken as you! Look back to how you and Father raised us, and how you raised him! Just take a moment and  _ listen _ to him!” Urged Byleistr, taking his mother’s hands in his own. “Just  _ listen. _ ”

Laufey shook his head angrily, snatching his hands out of Byleistr’s. “How could you say that?! I was an  _ amazing _ mother, I went to all of your events, I was on the PTA, I was  _ always _ there for you, I-”

“Yes! Yes!” Agreed Byleistr, his face contorted into frustration. “But you didn’t do that for  _ him _ .”

Laufey moved to dispute this before snapping his mouth shut, a million and one things racing through his mind. His face fell as it dawned on him that he  _ hadn’t _ been there for Loki in the way that he was there for his other children, and tears fell from his eyes in waves as he realized that maybe he hadn’t been the perfect mother to Loki that he thought he was.

“Loki wouldn’t be hurting this much if you were perfect to him, Mother…” Stressed Byleistr. “He wouldn’t have shut us out… he wouldn’t be as emotional as he is and as hurt as he is now, if we didn’t mistreat him.  _ Look _ at him, Mother! All he wanted growing up was for us to love him and accept him, a-and we couldn’t! We refused to!”

His voice cracked with emotion, then. “We refused to see him for who he was, for who he wanted to be, and look where it got us! I-I don’t want to live like this! I want to know my niece and nephew, I-I want to be there for my brother, I-I want him to know that he can finally  _ trust  _ me! I’m  _ tired _ , Mother! I’m sick and tired of not accepting Loki for who he is!”

Byleistr wiped at his eyes, shaking his head and gulping down the emotion that was trying to rise in his throat. “So what if he doesn’t have the same faith as us? So what if he doesn’t live life like we think he should? He still deserves  _ love _ , Mother! And we haven’t done a good job of giving him that!”

Laufey licked at his lips nervously, seemingly split. “But-”

“Just  _ look  _ at him, Mother! Is whatever pride you’re feeling more important than having your son in your life? Because mine isn’t. I-I want my baby brother back in my life! I’m tired of not being there for him, I’m tired of not accepting him for who he is, and I’m tired of fretting over the past! Loki  _ needs _ us! A-And we need him!”

Laufey’s eyes fluttered closed, and he covered his face with his hands, nodding and letting out a broken sound. “I-I’m tired, too…”

He wiped at the tears on his face, and turned to Loki, reaching out to take his son’s hands in his own. The pair stared at each other endlessly, with Loki too scared to believe that his mother would finally admit to his wrongs, and his mother terrified to acknowledge that he hadn’t been perfect. “Loki, baby… baby, Momma’s sorry. Momma’s sorry.”

The tidal wave of emotion that flowed through Loki was unprecedented, and he collapsed into his mother’s embrace, the pair sobbing in each other’s arms.

Seeing this admittedly brought tears to Thor’s eyes, and he wiped at the corners of them, watching this moment with a proud smile on his face. He knew that Loki would always treasure this moment, because it was a moment that he’d been praying for all his life.

And now… he finally got it.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> So this story is coming to an end. I'll probably write 1-2 more actual chapters, and then an epilogue, and then this story will be done <3
> 
> Let me know now if there was anything that you personally wanted to see in the story, and I will do my absolute best to fit it into the story. 
> 
> Speak now or forever hold your peace! LOL


	20. Fear and Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> So sorry for the late upload T.T but I hope you enjoy the chapter! It's pretty long to make up for the wait.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki had finally heard the words he’d been yearning for his entire life, and in that singular moment, he felt like the weight of the world was off of his shoulders. Hearing his mother not only admit that he hadn’t been the perfect mother to him, but that he was  _ sorry _ , meant so much to Loki, and while he wasn’t quite ready to put their history behind him, he was ready to establish healthy boundaries with his mother, and see if the omega was willing to follow them.

It wasn’t until his mother pulled away that he pulled away also, and he sniffed as he wiped at his eyes, feeling a multitude of emotions. At the very least, Loki believed that it was only right to show his mother what his children looked like, and he pulled out his phone, carefully handing it to his mother. “Um… these are the children. Their names are Luca and Aura.”

Laufey sniffed and let out a small whimper when he took the phone and saw his grandchildren, and for the first time in his life, Loki saw his mother smile genuinely. “ _ Oh _ , Loki… Loki, they're so beautiful.”

“...You can stop by tomorrow afternoon, to meet them.” Loki gulped then, a bit nervous to establish his boundaries with his mother. “Before you and Byleistr go, I need us to establish rules we need to follow, to begin working on rebuilding a healthy relationship.”

It seemed that this made Luafey annoyed, but he nodded anyway, looking back down at the picture of his grandchildren. “Okay…”

“You’re not allowed to say anything negative about me, around the children,” Began Loki, relief and determination flooding through him when Thor squeezed his hand encouragingly. “You’re not allowed to sway them with your religion, or speak about it, around them.”

Laufey’s face fell, and he shook his head, beginning to get upset. “Loki-”

“No! Thor and I have decided that we will raise our children in Thor’s faith, and we are not interested in our children being influenced by your religion. If you cannot agree to that, then you will  _ not _ see them.” Interrupted Loki, narrowing his eyes at his mother.

Laufey gritted his jaw, offering Loki a stiff nod. “Fine.”

“Any time you or Byleistr begin to berate me, I will remove myself from the situation, and leave. I will no longer accept being mistreated from you, or anyone else. And if you do not apologize, then we’re done.”

He stared at his brother and mother intensely, waiting for them to agree to his demands. After a few seconds Byleistr gave in and nodded, his shoulders sagging. “Yeah… yeah, I’ll agree to this, Loki. If it means I can have you in my life again, then I’ll do it.”

Loki’s gaze shifted to his mother, who was obviously struggling with this. It took him some time, but he finally relented, agreeing also. 

“It’s late… I think if more conversation needs to happen, it can happen tomorrow.” Murmured Thor, rubbing at Loki’s thigh softly. “Thank you both for coming.”

Byleister nodded and stood up, helping his mother up next and looking down at the pair. “Thank you for hosting us in your home, Thor…” He looked over at Loki next, a sad yet hopeful smile on his face. “I-I’ll stop by tomorrow afternoon with Mother, Loki.”

Loki nodded and remained where he was sitting on the couch, so Thor took it upon himself to walk Loki’s brother and mother to the door, thanking them once again before he closed the door behind him.

He returned to the living room and felt a bit sad when he saw Loki remained in the exact position he was in earlier, leaned back against the couch with an exhausted, spent look on his face. “Omega?”

Loki turned at the sound of Thor’s voice, giving the alpha a tired smile. “Thank you for walking them to the door.”

“Of course,” Murmured Thor, reaching out to take Loki’s hands and helping him stand. “Want to head upstairs?”

“Yeah…” Muttered Loki, looking down as he tried to make sense of the events of tonight. He wanted nothing more than to lie in bed, nestled into Thor’s warm embrace, and jumped slightly when he felt Thor’s arms hook under his thighs, shooting Thor an incredulous look when the alpha shifted to carrying him bridal style. “What are you doing?”

“Spoiling you,” Laughed Thor, his gaze gentle and understanding.

Loki wrapped his arms around Thor’s neck and relaxed in his embrace, too embarrassed to admit that he liked being doted on like this. Thor carried him upstairs and to their bedroom, where he sat Loki on their bed, grabbing the omega’s favorite set of night clothes and stripping off his shirt for him.

“I can dress myself, Thor,” Laughed Loki, playfully swatting his husband’s hands off of him.

“Didn’t I tell you I was spoiling you?” Questioned Thor, his lips turned up in a soft smirk.

Loki laughed to himself and gave in, letting Thor pamper him. It did feel nice, and once they were both changed and settled in bed, he hummed as he was pulled into Thor’s strong embrace, loving every single moment of this. “I love you.”

Thor grinned, pressing a warm kiss onto Loki’s crown. “I love you, too.”

Loki was too drained from the events that transpired to actually discuss how he was feeling with Thor, so instead he nestled into Thor further, moving his legs until they were intertwined with Thor’s before falling asleep.

And Thor just rubbed soothing circles into the omega’s side, releasing comforting pheromones until he felt the familiar pull of sleep, and succumbed to unconsciousness.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki woke up to a text from his mother, who was asking if he could come over around 12. The twins usually napped around that time, so Loki invited his mother over for lunch at 2, which the older omega agreed to.

The hours leading up to the meeting had Loki nervous, and all he could hope for was that this went well. Hell, even if it didn’t, he’d be okay. He’d finally heard his mother admit that he wasn’t the best mother,  _ and _ had gotten an apology from him, so even if his mother went back on his promises, Loki was content that his mother at least now knew he wasn’t perfect, and would no longer be able to shove his burdens onto Loki.

Right at 2 Loki’s doorbell rang, so he went to answer it, nodding at his brother and mother. “Hey… thanks for coming.”

Laufey pulled Loki into a hug, which made the omega feel uncomfortable. “Thank you for inviting us over, Loki.”

Patting at his mother’s back, Loki moved to step away, frowning again when he was pulled into a hug by his brother. He patted at the beta’s back as well and finally stepped away, gesturing for his family to come in. “I had the chef prepare us some lunch.”

The pair quietly thanked him, so Loki led them to the playroom of the twins, beginning to smile when he saw his children playing together. They seemed to be in an animated babbling discussion about something, so Loki called out to them, his heart melting at the way their faces lit up when they saw him. “Hi Luca! Hi Aura! Mommy wants you guys to meet some people.”

Luca and Aura dropped their toys and toddled over to Loki, hugging at his legs and each of them begging to be picked up. “Mama! Mama!” They chanted, hope in their eyes as Loki moved to scoop them into his arms.

He’d gotten pretty adept at picking up the twins at the same time, and kissed their cheeks, turning around to show them his family. “This is your Grandma Laufey, and your Uncle Byleistr.”

Loki’s mother whimpered, and he reached out with a shaking hand towards the twins, eyes looking back over at Loki in hope. “C-Can I hold them, baby?”

After a moment's hesitation, Loki nodded, handing him Aura first, before handing him Luca.

The twins seemed curious about their grandmother, and looked back and forth between Loki and his mother’s faces, beginning to giggle. “Same!” Stated Luca, pointing at Loki while patting Laufey’s face. “Same, Mama!”

Loki snorted, figuring that the children were talking about how much Loki looked like his mother. “Yes, that’s my Mommy; he’s your grandma, so that’s why we look alike.”

Laufey kissed the boy’s cheek a few times, falling in love with the children. “I’m your grandma, Luca and Aura! I’m so happy I could meet you!” He kissed the babies’ cheeks back and forth, obviously smitten with the twins. “Your Mommy was being a bad Mommy, and wouldn’t let me see you guys.”

A jolt of anger ran through Loki, and he shook his head quickly, immediately taking Luca and Aura from his mother’s arms. “Nope, nope, nope. We agreed that you wouldn’t say anything rude about me to the children. Get out.”

Laufey widened his eyes in incredulity, absolutely  _ shocked _ that Loki was acting like this. “L-Loki! Wha-”

“I said that to see the children, you were not allowed to say anything rude about me to them, and you just did,” Gritted Loki, refusing to back down. “You need to leave,  _ now _ .”

Laufey sputtered in indignation at the command. “Loki! I-I live over an hour away! How  _ dare _ -”

“ _ Leave _ ,” Seethed Loki, gesturing for his family to leave. “Sorry Byleistr, you can come visit them alone another time, but you both need to go.”

“Loki, he didn’t mean it like that, we came all the way here to see you and the children! Give him another chance!” Pleaded Byleistr, coming to stand between his mother and his brother. 

“Apologize,” Stated Loki, sending his mother a cool look. “Apologize to me, and you can stay.”

Laufey looked back and forth between his son and his grandchildren, gritting his teeth and finally bowing his head after a moment. “I-I’m sorry.”

Loki stared off with his mother for a few tense seconds before sighing, relenting and giving his mother another chance. He gestured for them to follow him into the children’s playroom, and herded the twins into it, sitting down on the floor and laughing softly as his children climbed into his lap, tugging at his long hair.

Being a mother was one of Loki’s greatest joys, and he kissed the cheeks of his children, rubbing at their sides. “Why don’t you guys play with Grandma Laufey?”

Luca looked back over at Laufey, deciding in his adorable, little mind that he wanted to play with the man. He crawled out of Loki’s lap and toddled over to Laufey, whose entire face lit up when the toddler crawled into his lap and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around the toddler and teared up, basking in the moment with his grandchild.

Loki could see that Byleistr was still nervous, so he rubbed at Aura’s side, encouraging her to go play with her uncle. “Aura, sweetheart, why don’t you go play with Uncle Byleistr?”

Aura babbled and stepped out of his lap, walking on clumsy legs over to the beta. She plopped herself into his lap, squealing happily and pulling at his shirt.

“She wants you to play peek-a-boo with her, Byleistr,” Murmured Loki, carefully watching his mother and brother interact with his children.

Byleistr covered his face with his hands, and uncovered them a few seconds later, a loud “Boo!” leaving his lips.

Aura squealed and clapped her hands in enjoyment, reaching out to pull on his shirt and encourage him to do it again.

Loki’s brother and mother continued to play with the children, so Loki took pictures and videos of it, making sure to send it to them. He was surprised when his mother asked if he could stay a bit longer to play with the twins, and agreed, relieved that his mother seemed to be on his best behavior.

Around 4 pm, Loki’s brother said that he needed to go, so Loki set the children down in the playroom after lunch, and walked his family to the door, hugging his brother first.

“Thank you for inviting us, Loki,” Murmured Byleistr, rubbing at his brother’s back.

“Of course,” Answered Loki, turning to hug his mother next. “Just let me know when you want to come over and see them again.”

Laufey hugged Loki extra tight before letting go, wiping at the corner of his eyes. “C-Can I come back next week?”

After a moment’s hesitation Loki nodded, hoping that he wasn’t making a big mistake by letting his family back into his life. “Sure; just text me when you’re able to come over.”

Laufey agreed, so Loki waved goodbye at his brother and mother, waiting until they were in their car and leaving before closing his door. A chime from his work phone caught his attention, so Loki pulled it out as he made his way back into the playroom of the children, looking over the email.

It seemed like he was needed in the office tomorrow because they had a new manager on the team, and his boss was asking him to show the new manager the ropes. Loki had been responsible for both his team, and Angrboda’s old team for awhile now, and it seemed that he would begin returning the management of the second team, to this new manager.

Loki didn’t mind this too much, and hoped that the manager would be someone that was professional, yet kind. He didn’t think he could handle having another Svadilfari or Angrboda.

Walking into work the next day, Loki made his way up to his floor and his cubicle, greeting Natalie. She was already helping the new manager, so Loki set his things down, wanting to greet the new manager as well. “Hey, you two. I see you got started already without me.”

Natalie and the new manager turned around, with Natalie letting out an amused laugh. “Hey, Loki.” Gesturing towards Loki, Natalie smiled. “Ian, this is Loki, the manager that is supporting the team you’ll be taking over. Loki, this is Ian, the new manager.”

Loki shook Ian’s hand, offering him a polite smile. “Nice to meet you, Ian; we’ll be working quite closely together for the next month or so.”

Ian shot Loki a warm smile. “Nice to meet you, Loki.”

Loki observed the alpha while Natalie helped him set up his computer, praying to the Norns that this would be a normal coworker. The alpha was everything the standard alpha was; tall, handsome, muscular, and had a strong, spicy scent. The alpha had dark black hair like him that was styled with gel, and had amber eyes, with a beauty mark next to his lower left side lip.

He  _ was _ quite handsome, Loki had to admit, and he found himself laughing as the members of the teams he managed began to stroll in, the omegas and betas swooning over the new alpha as they walked past their cubicle.

Around 9 am when every member was here, Loki gathered the members of Ian’s team and met with them in a meeting room on the floor, wanting to introduce them to their new manager.

The team had about 25 members in it, so once they were all gathered in Loki greeted them all. “Hello, everyone; thank you for meeting with me today. I understand that it will be a busy day, but I wanted to introduce you all to your new manager, Ian. You will begin reporting to him immediately. In the event that you need assistance and he isn’t available, you’re more than welcome to come to me. I’ll give the floor to Ian now, so that he can get to know you all a little better.”

The group clapped politely, so Ian stepped forward, a nervous smile on his face. “Hi, team! Uh, my name is Ian Landsdore, I’m 35, and I have been a manager for about 7 years now. I work in the office Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and will work from home Tuesdays and Thursdays, as I have a 16 month old, and a 3 year old. Fun fact about me, I’m a single dad of the most adorable kids out there.”

He asked that everyone around the room give a fun fact about themselves so that he could get to know them better, and by the end of it seemingly felt better about being a part of their team.

Loki was asked by their boss to work closely with this manager for the next month so that he could show him the ropes, so once it was time for them to take their lunch, Loki invited Ian down to the cafeteria of their building, suggesting the hoagies.

The alpha seemed happy that Loki was being nice to him, so Loki tried his best to keep it up, understanding just how nerve-wracking it was to start a new job. “How are you liking your first day?”

“I’m enjoying it,” Answered Ian, following Loki over to a table near the windows and sitting down. “This is a really nice company to work for, so I’m happy to be here. I really look forward to moving up in the company; I hear it’s really good with its internal promotions.”

“Sucking up to me won’t work,” Laughed Loki, playfully winking at the alpha. “My husband is independent of our department; I can’t put in a good word for you.”

Ian widened his eyes in a panic. “N-No, that’s not what I meant, I-I-”

“Ian, I’m  _ joking _ ,” Stated Loki, taking a bite of his sandwich. “I swear, I’m joking.”

Ian relaxed, his face heating up as he laughed. “Do you like it here?”

“I love it here.” Answered Loki, truthfully. “I’ve worked here for about 4, almost 5 years, and I don’t see myself leaving.”

Ian hummed, beginning to eat his meal as well. “I’m happy that I got this position; I had to leave my last job because they wanted me to put in at least 15 hours of overtime a week.”

Loki sympathized with this. “Yeah, I’m glad that I have this position, too. I’m able to work from home twice a week, which really helps; my husband and I have 16 month old twins.”

“Oh! My daughter is 16 months, too!” Gasped Ian, his eyes lighting up. “Would you be willing to arrange a playdate?” He realized that he was a bit loud, and blushed, lowering his voice. “Sorry, it’s just really hard for me to get out and meet other parents with young children, because of my work schedule.”

“It’s alright, I totally get it,” Assured Loki, putting down his sandwich and pulling out his phone. “Let’s exchange contact information. Are you free this weekend?”

“Yes, I’m free this Saturday around 2.” Answered Ian, pulling out his phone in excitement. “Norns, thank you so much. My girls only have each other to play with, and I’d been feeling like the most terrible father in the world since I had such a hard time finding friends for them.”

“I swear there needs to be a network of professional parents, so that we can arrange playdates with our children.” Responded Loki, his heart going out for the man. “I always feel so guilty that I’m not at home with them 24/7.”

“Me too,” Sighed Ian, a sad look in his eyes. “My wife decided that she loved her freedom more, and left us about 6 months ago, so… I’ve been struggling to do everything myself, and feel like I’m not doing well enough sometimes.” He looked up then, a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry; that was a bit much.”

“No, no, that’s alright,” Murmured Loki, feeling bad for the alpha. “Life throws curveballs at us, sometimes. I’m sorry to hear about your situation…”

Ian shrugged his shoulders, putting up his phone and beginning to eat his meal again. “My girls are my world, so… as long as I can provide for them and love them, I’ll be alright.”

Loki felt really bad for the alpha, and wanted to try and shift the conversation in a lighter direction. “Is there anything that you’re a bit confused about, regarding the job?”

Ian seemed happy by the change in conversation, so the pair continued to speak, finishing their lunch and heading back upstairs to their department.

Loki was just relieved that a  _ normal _ person had finally been hired to work in his department, and found himself excited for the play date as he made his way up to Thor’s office after work. They usually didn’t see each other at work, but Thor had gone into the office early, and would most likely have a late night, so Loki wanted to see him before leaving.

Riding up to the top floor, Loki walked over to the corridor Thor’s office was in, and greeted his secretary, plastering on a fake smile. “Hello, Sif. Please ring Thor.”

Thor’s secretary looked up at him, pursing her lips. “He’s busy; I don’t think it’d be a good idea to see him.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at the woman, annoyed with her. She was honestly one of the most insufferable people he’d ever met, and he exhaled slowly, crossing his arms. “Is someone in his office?”

“No, but-”

“Then ring my  _ husband. _ I would like to speak to him.” Gritted out Loki, shooting the woman an annoyed look. He could technically just waltz into Thor’s office, but he understood that it was important to remain professional at work.

Sif stared at him for a bated breath before huffing and ringing for Thor. “Mr. Odinson? Your wife is here to see you; should I turn him away?” She remained silent as she listened to Thor, and frowned, nodding her head. “...Understood. I’ll send him in, sir.” Finally, she sent Loki a cool look. “He can see you in his office.”

Loki rolled his eyes and entered Thor’s office, his frustrations melting away as he laid his eyes on his husband. “Hey.”

Thor stood to greet Loki, smiling as he pulled him closer for a warm kiss. “Hey. Everything okay?”

“Yep,” Assured Loki, returning Thor’s kiss. “I just missed my husband and wanted to see you.”

This made Thor’s gaze soften, and he rubbed at Loki’s side, smiling at him warmly. “Want me to order something for us to eat? It’s been awhile since we’ve had a meal together.”

“Are you sure?” Asked Loki, looking up at Thor. “I don’t want to disturb you.”

Thor snorted softly, taking Loki’s hand and leading him over to the couches in his office. “I can take a break to spend some time with you.”

Loki sat down next to Thor, a soft smile spreading across his face as he stared at the man that he loved. The alpha had changed so much since they got together, and he loved that the man’s face lit up every single time he laid his eyes on him or their children. “I love you.”

Thor grinned, leaning forward to kiss Loki once he sat down next to him. “I love you, too.” The pair shared another kiss before Thor pulled out his phone. “What do you have a taste for?”

“Brazillian?” Suggested Loki, looking at the options available to them on Thor’s screen. “I know there’s a place right around the corner that sells that type of food.”

“Sounds good to me,” Answered Thor, placing orders for himself and Loki before pocketing his phone. “How was your day?”

Loki settled himself into Thor’s side, melting against it once the alpha wrapped a strong, loving arm around him. “Good; the new manager on my team has a 16 month old and a 3 year old, so I made a play date for the twins this Saturday.”

Thor was delighted to hear this, as he understood first hand how hard it was to schedule things like this as a working professional. “Norns, that’s amazing. Are they coming over to our house?”

Loki nodded, basking in the comfort that Thor’s embrace brought him. “When will you be home tonight?”

Thor looked at his watch, knowing that his answer wouldn’t make Loki happy. “9 or 10. It’s the end of the year, so I’m really busy.”

Loki tried to not feel too sad about this and just hugged Thor tighter, nestling his face into the crook of Thor’s neck and scenting him. “We need to go on vacation once the new year starts.”

“I would love that,” Laughed Thor, shifting to pull Loki into his lap so that he could hug him closer. “Where to?”

“Fiji? We could rent out a nice home and bring the twins and their nanny.” Suggested Loki, further burrowing his face into the crook of Thor’s neck and grinning when the alpha did the same thing to him.

“That sounds perfect,” Agreed Thor, hugging Loki tighter. “Maybe towards the end of January?”

“I’ll look into it later tonight,” Murmured Loki, the warmth of his husband and the alpha’s warm, pine scent relaxing him. He loved being able to just bask in Thor’s arms, and enjoyed his time with the man until their food came, thanking the Norns that he had something in his life that he’d always dreamed of, but had been too scared to believe in.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

To Loki’s delight, his children and Ian’s children got along perfectly, and they managed to meet up every Saturday afternoon or Thursday evening each week, pictures and videos commemorating the playdates.

Thor was surprised that the children’s father was a single alpha parent -that almost  _ never _ happened- but he didn’t pry, as he understood that life wasn’t always kind to everyone. 

When the twins were 20 months old, Loki invited Ian over to their home for their usual play date, on Thursday. They were both working from home today, and learned quickly that it was easier to kill two birds with one stone by letting their children play together while they worked.

Loki had become quite close to Ian over this period of four months, and it really made Loki happy, as he genuinely enjoyed having friends. It was something that he didn’t have when he was growing up, and he and Ian meshed well, which he was grateful for.

Towards the end of the workday, Loki and Ian let out a sigh of relief as they finished a big project, and submitted it to their manager. “Norns, I thought we’d never finish!”

Ian laughed, running a tired hand through his hair. “You know what I need? A drink.”

“Quite a few of them, actually,” Agreed Loki, putting his laptop to the side and stretching out on the couch. “Thor and I don’t drink too much because of the children, but I’m sure we have  _ something _ lying around.”

The omega stood up and gestured for the alpha to follow him to their kitchen, grabbing two glasses, and searching their cupboards for the bottle of whiskey he knew was there. “Aha! Found it.”

Ian whistled when Loki presented him the bottle, obviously blown away. “Wow, Macallan whiskey? You’re  _ literally _ holding my entire life’s earnings in your hand.”

Loki looked at the bottle, knowing that this was 6-figure whiskey. “Well, my husband has expensive tastes.”

Ian chuckled softly, minute jealousy in his eyes. “Must be nice.”

Loki chose to not comment on that, pouring himself and the alpha some of the whiskey instead. His nannies were watching the children, so Loki figured that he and Ian could drink for a bit, have the chef cook something, give Ian enough time to sober up, and then send him home. “What do you have a taste for? I can ask the chef to make it.”

“Hmm… it doesn’t really matter to me, Loki. I can just drink this, and wait an hour before driving home.”

Loki shook his head, not wanting the alpha to worry. “Don’t worry about it; we had a  _ long _ day, and deserve to relax. How does steak sound?”

“Steak sounds fine,” Laughed Ian, sipping at his whiskey. “Norns, this tastes amazing.”

Loki hummed in agreement, beginning to relax as he felt the alcohol take effect. He wouldn’t drink enough to become inebriated, but he wanted enough in him to help him relax from their stressful day.

It’d been a long time since he’d just enjoyed being with a friend without talking about the twins, and Loki enjoyed his time with the alpha. He was having so much fun that he didn’t hear Thor come home two hours later, too busy laughing over a joke that Ian told.

“What’s this?”

Loki and Ian turned to look at Thor, who had an annoyed look on his face. “Hey, alpha,” Greeted Loki, standing up and kissing his husband. “We had a really hard day at work, and were just winding down from the day.”

Thor frowned, narrowing his eyes at the alpha. When he’d walked in, Ian had his hand on Loki’s shoulder, and while Thor believed that it was a harmless gesture, it still didn’t make him feel good to see it. “Where are the children?”

“Out in the playroom, with the Nanny.” Answered Loki, rubbing at Thor’s side to placate him. “You came home early.”

“I was able to finish some things earlier than expected,” Answered Thor, raising an eyebrow at the omega when he saw that they’d been drinking. He chose to not comment on it now, and instead sighed, loosening his tie. “Can I walk you to the door, Ian?”

The alpha nodded, sobered up now. “Yeah, sure, of course.”

Loki waved goodbye, letting Ian know that he would see him at work the next day, so Thor led Ian to the playroom of the children, watching him pick up his kids, and telling him to have a good night. He then dismissed the nannies, thanking them for their hard work before picking up the twins and heading back into the kitchen, depositing them in their high chairs. “What do you want for dinner?”

“Oh, Ian and I actually had the chef prepare some steak for us,” Answered Loki, yawning into the palm of his hand. 

“You ate dinner without me?” Asked Thor, a bit hurt by this.

Loki widened his eyes when he saw how Thor’s face fell, and he pulled the alpha into his arms, nestling his face into the crook of his neck and kissing his scent gland to calm him. “I didn’t know you were coming home so early, Thor… I thought this would be another late night.”

Thor wasn’t too happy with the situation he came home to, and wrapped his arms around the omega, frowning deeply. “And you were drinking?”

“I just had  _ one _ drink, Thor,” Scoffed Loki, pulling away and raising a confused eyebrow at the alpha. “You’ve  _ literally _ done the same thing, before.”

The alpha knew that Loki was right and sighed, opening the refrigerator and grabbing something quick to make for the children. He still felt unnerved with how close Loki was getting with Ian, and was trying to give Loki the room to make friends and maintain those friendships, but seeing the alpha touching Loki so familiarly really got to him.

Loki knew that Thor wasn’t happy, and frowned, placing a concerned hand on the alpha’s back. “Alpha? What’s wrong?”

Letting out a tired sigh, Thor turned to Loki, trying to not get so worked up over a single, innocent gesture. “I just didn’t like how he was touching you.”

Loki blinked back in confusion, trying to remember how Ian was touching him. “He had his hand on my back, though? I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it, alpha…”

“I-I know. I know,” Agreed Thor, fully turning towards Loki then. “I just didn’t like it.”

Loki  _ tried _ to understand where Thor was coming from, and rubbed soothing circles into the alpha’s side. “I’m sorry, alpha… I’ll make sure that he doesn’t do things like that in the future.”

Thor relaxed then, beginning to feel better. “Thank you.” He honestly believed that Ian meant nothing by it, and tried to tell himself that it was just harmless.

But the more he saw how Ian interacted with Loki each week, the less and less he believed that Ian’s motives were “harmless”. He saw how the alpha looked at his wife when he thought nobody was watching, he  _ saw _ the light in the alpha’s eyes when he spoke with Loki, saw the  _ jealousy _ in his gaze and countenance when Thor kissed Loki or touched him, and when the twins turned 24 months -two years old- Thor finally believed that he needed to bring how he felt to Loki’s attention.

Ian hadn’t done anything disrespectful, but Thor knew enough about alphas and attraction to see that Loki’s friend  _ was _ interested in him, and that was something that annoyed Thor.

The omega was going out for drinks with his team to celebrate them making their end of year goals, so Thor watched Loki get ready, feeling torn. He didn’t want Loki to go and be around Ian, but he  _ also _ didn’t want to restrict Loki, as the omega never did that to him when he went out to work, or on business trips.

He ended up waiting until right before Loki left, and met him for a kiss when the omega came over to him on the couch in their living room, reaching out to stop him from leaving. “Hey… I want to talk to you about something.”

Loki raised up a curious eyebrow, sitting down next to his husband. “...Is everything okay, alpha?”

Thor took Loki’s hand in his, rubbing his thumb across the back of his hand. “I wanted to talk to you about Ian, before you go.”

“...Okay. What about him?” Questioned Loki, a bit confused.

“Loki… I-I know how alphas act when they’re around someone they’re interested in, because  _ I’m _ an alpha, and I remember how I was when I started dating  _ you _ . And that same passionate look I had in my eyes every time I stared at you, is the same look that Ian has in his eyes when he stares at you.”

Loki blinked back in confusion, shocked that Thor thought this. “Alpha, I swear, Ian and I are just friends; nothing more is happening on either end.”

Thor exhaled softly, his lips turned down in a minute frown. “Just… be careful, Loki. I don’t feel comfortable with you going out tonight with him, but… but I understand how close you both are, and I’m trying to respect that. So… all I’m saying is just be careful, and if he  _ does _ make a move on you, to please,  _ please _ tell me.”

“Alpha, you have nothing to worry about,” Murmured Loki, his hand coming to stroke at Thor’s jaw. “I love  _ you _ ; we’ve been together for almost five years, and I’m not leaving unless you want me to.” He kissed his husband then, hugging him close. “I love you. Everything is fine, and if something happens I  _ will _ tell you.”

Thor nestled his face into the crook of Loki’s neck, inhaling his warm, honey scent before pulling back. “I love you, too. Have fun, omega.”

The pair kissed one more time before Loki waved goodbye, and once Thor heard their front door close he sighed, leaning back onto the couch. He still felt  _ really _ uncomfortable with Loki being friends with Ian, but didn’t want to tell the man that they couldn’t hang out, as he understood that their friendship meant a lot to Loki.

“Papa!”

Thor looked down at his children, who had woken up from their nap, and were full of energy. “We wanna play!”

The alpha grinned, thoughts of Loki and Ian being tucked away for later. “What do you guys want to play?”

“Monster!” Cheered the twins, looking up at him expectantly.

Thor smirked at the two-year-olds, beginning to growl and acting as if he were going to snatch them into his arms. “Then you better  _ run!” _ He shouted, making sure to speak in his monster voice. Luca and Aura screamed with delight and ran away from Thor, ducking out of reach and squealing as Thor chased them throughout their mansion. 

“You can’t get me, Papa!” Shouted Luca, running upstairs and dragging Aura along with him.

Thor crawled up the steps on all fours, letting out a dramatic roar. “The monster won’t stop until he gets to eat you!”

“No!” Screamed his children, running down a hallway and into he and Loki’s room.

Thor managed to snatch both children and plop them down onto the bed, smothering their faces with kisses. “I got you!”

The twins giggled as Thor kissed them, and their laughs made Thor’s heart soar. Never in a million years did he ever think he’d get to experience this, and he stared down at his children fondly, kissing their crowns. “Are you guys hungry?” The twins ate dinner before Loki left, but Thor figured they might’ve worked up an appetite from all of the running they were doing.

“Can we have cookies?” Asked Aura, her eyes shining with hope.

It _ was  _ Friday, so Thor nodded, gesturing for the twins to follow him back downstairs. “What kind of cookies do you guys want?”

“Chocolate chip!” Chirped Luca, hopping down each step.

“With marshmallow!” Added Aura, hopping down each step right along with her brother.

“You’ve got it,” Agreed Thor, leading the twins to the kitchen. He didn’t know how to make cookies from scratch, so instead he looked in their fridge for the cookie dough he knew was in there, opening up a cabinet and grabbing the marshmallows next.

Setting the items down on the island countertop, Thor picked up each child and sat them down on the island so that they could help him make the cookies.

They put a marshmallow into the center of the cookie dough, and surrounded it with more dough, setting them down on a cookie pan, and popping them into the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

“What do you guys want to do, now? Want to play teddies?” Suggested Thor, asking if his children wanted to play with their stuffed animals.

“Yeah!” Cheered the twins, reaching out for Thor so that he could pick them up and carry them upstairs.

Rolling his eyes in amusement, Thor scooped up his children and carried them upstairs, setting them down on the play mat in their room, and grabbing a stuffed tiger toy. “I’m Stripy! What’s your name?”

“Panda!” Answered Luca, grabbing his favorite stuffed animal.

Thor turned his tiger towards Aura’s, next. “What’s your name?”

“Brown Bear!” Answered Aura, making her teddy bear hug Thor’s. “I love you, Stripy!”

Thor smiled warmly, making his tiger hug Aura’s toy back. “I love you too, Brown Bear.”

The family enjoyed the rest of their night together, playing with their teddy bears, eating their cookies, and giving lots of cuddles and hugs in between. The children’s bedtime was 7:00, so after helping them brush their teeth and changing them into their pajamas, Thor settled his children into bed, reading them a bedtime story and kissing them goodnight before turning off the lights.

Loki said he’d be home around 9, so Thor watched TV for a bit and enjoyed the quiet of the night, standing up from the couch when he heard the front door to their home open. “Loki?”

Loki seemed really disturbed, and he met Thor for a hug, melting into his arms. “Hey… we need to talk.”

Thor’s heart beat uncomfortably in his chest, and he offered Loki an unsteady nod, leading him back to their living room, and sitting down on the couch. “Is everything okay?”

Gulping nervously, Loki teared up, wiping at his eyes with a shaking hand. “I-I’m going to tell you something, and I-I need you to believe me, alpha.”

Thor’s face darkened instantly, and his mind began to run a million miles a minute, his heart beating faster and faster. “Omega, what happened?”

“U-U’m, I-I guess that Ian had a few drinks, a-and he confessed some things,” He wiped at his eyes, clearing his throat. “H-He kissed me, Thor.”

Thor felt his heart constrict at this, and he widened his eyes, a shocked expression on his face.

“I-I swear, I-I didn’t know that he was going to do that! I-I shoved him off of me, and I-I came right home.” Rushed Loki, not wanting Thor to worry.

Thor remained silent, biting at a lower lip and looking away. He felt a million and one things, didn’t know which emotion to focus on, not knowing what to say.

“Say something…” Murmured Loki, beginning to get worried when he saw Thor’s countenance change. “Babe, I-I didn’t know that he was going to do that, I-I swear! I-I left  _ immediately _ !”

Thor remained silent still, his heart finally settling on an emotion. He wasn’t angry at Loki, he… he was  _ scared _ .

Scared that Loki’s feelings would change, or that he would leave him, scared that their relationship wouldn’t be the same, scared that Loki was realizing he didn’t want to be married to someone as old as him, and he teared up, hating that he was even doubting Loki in this situation.

He just had a lot of fears in his heart that he had been keeping to himself, and… and this situation just made them all come to the forefront of his mind.

He knew that his silence was hurting Loki, but… but right now, silence was all he had.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think the next chapter will be the last chapter :(
> 
> IDK when it will be out, but I HOPE it will be out before the new year, fingers crossed!


	21. Give In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> So I originally was going to make this the last chapter, but it got really long, so I cut it into two. 
> 
> Next chapter should hopefully be out within the next two days. :)

✬⭒✭⭒✮

All Thor had was silence.

He pulled away when Loki tried to wipe at his tears, feeling bad that this action hurt the omega, but knowing that he needed to compose himself, first.

Loki was 13 years younger than him, and while he initially was never bothered by their age gap, as they got older, the fear began to creep up on him. Loki was smart, he was the perfect combination of beautiful and handsome, he was savvy in the best ways, and he had a lot going for him. 

Thor knew that he was lucky to have someone like Loki by his side, and even luckier that Loki was his wife. But it  _ terrified _ him to know that at any moment, Loki could decide not to be with him. 

The omega could decide that it was better to be with someone younger- someone that probably understood him better than he did, and it was this fear that really broke Thor’s heart.

“A-Alpha… I-I didn’t do anything, I swear!” Croaked Loki, whimpering when he reached out and was rebuffed by Thor again. “I didn’t  _ do _ anything!”

“I-I know,” Sniffed Thor, wiping at the corners of his eyes. “I know, love. I-I just need a minute.”

Loki gulped nervously, his heart hurting as his eyes welled with tears. It pained him to see that Thor was hurting, and it pained him even more that Thor didn’t want comfort or reassurance right now.

All he wanted to do was comfort and hug Thor, and it broke his heart that the alpha didn’t want him to do any of those things. “Alpha…  _ talk _ to me!  _ Please!” _

Thor inhaled slowly, wiping at his eyes and letting out a pained laugh. “I-I’m just shocked, Loki. That’s all.” He tried to smile, and ended up tearing up again, trying to quickly wipe the tears away. “I’m just scared.” Confessing this was hard, and he teared up even more as the weight of his emotions finally crashed down on him. “I’m just  _ scared _ .”

“Of  _ what _ ?” Asked Loki, scooting closer and placing a tentative hand on his husband’s back. He was relieved when Thor didn’t push him away, and wrapped a stabilizing arm around the alpha, rubbing at his back as Thor took in a shaky breath. “What are you scared of?”

“Of you leaving me…”

It broke Loki’s heart to hear this, and his face fell at the alpha’s confession. “Alpha… alpha, I  _ meant _ my wedding vows. I’m  _ never _ leaving you; you’re it for me! And I mean that!” He took Thor’s face in his hands and stared at his husband, his heart hurting when he saw the fear in his husband’s eyes. “Why do you think I’ll leave you?”

“You’re younger than me… you have so much to offer someone…” Murmured Thor, wiping at his eyes. “Ian understood you so much… much more than me… you’ve never been happier…” He shook his head then, trying to process his thoughts. “I just thought it was only a matter of time before you realized that you wanted someone more like you.”

“Thor…” Murmured Loki, his heart constricting painfully when the alpha confessed this. “Thor, I’m not leaving you. I don’t want Ian, I don’t want any other alpha, I want  _ you _ . And I always will. I don’t care that you’re older than me, I don’t care that we don’t always see eye to eye, and I don’t care that there are others that are attracted to me, because they’re not  _ you _ .”

He leaned forward until his forehead rested against Thor’s and closed his eyes, trying to help his husband understand that his worst fear wasn’t coming true. “I love  _ you _ . And that means that I love every  _ single _ thing about you; the good, the not so good, and everything in between.” He hugged Thor even tighter then, pouring out every ounce of comfort and reassurance he could give from his pheromones. “I don’t want someone if they’re not  _ you _ , alpha.”

This made Thor’s heart flip-flop, and he warily wrapped his arms around Loki, resting his forehead on Loki’s shoulder. He still didn’t know what to say -didn’t even know  _ how  _ to say it- and just remained silent, wishing that he didn’t feel this way.

Thor’s silence just worried Loki even more, and he hugged Thor tighter, trying to think of everything he could say or do to help Thor understand that he  _ loved _ him, and that he always would. He had only seen Thor like this a few times in the course of their relationship, and exhaled slowly, finally knowing what he needed to do.

“Alpha… you and our children mean everything to me. You showed me love when I thought I’d never get it, you  _ taught _ me that I was even worthy of it, and you were by my side through everything involving my family. Never  _ once _ did you ever give up on me, and you just don’t give up on that type of love.”

He pressed a kiss against Thor’s scent gland, trying to reassure him of this. “And now it's  _ my _ turn.” Loki took Thor’s face into his hands, and pulled him up so that he could stare at him, his eyes shining with tears. “Alpha, I love you so much. I don’t care about Ian, or any other alpha that has been there, or might come along. I don’t  _ want _ them, I want  _ you _ ! I don’t care about anything or anyone that might try and come between us! All I care about is you and the children, and how much I love you all.”

Thor sniffed, wiping at his eyes and nodding slowly. “It just scares me… when you told me he kissed you, all I could picture was you realizing that you wanted someone more like him, instead of me... someone that could make you feel something that maybe I can’t.”

“Thor, that person is  _ you _ !” Stressed Loki, taking Thor’s hands in his. “ _ You’re  _ the one that makes me feel something others can’t!  _ You’re  _ the one that I will choose over anyone, and anything! I don’t care about any other alpha!  _ You’re _ my soulmate! I  _ want _ to be with you, and I always will!”

Thor stared into Loki’s eyes, hating that his insecurities caused this. He looked away in shame next, feeling extremely guilty. “I-I know…I know…”

“I love you, Thor,” Murmured Loki, stroking at his husband’s beard. “And I’m not leaving you.  _ Ever _ . You’d have to beat the shit out of me or something for me to leave, and we both know you’d never do that, so  _ accept _ that I love you, and that I always will, and that I’m never leaving you.” He kissed Thor then, his thumbs coming to stroke at Thor’s cheeks. “And you’re not leaving me; okay?”

This made Thor smile, and he closed his eyes when Loki kissed him again, pulling the omega into his lap and hugging him tighter. “I’m sorry… I’ve just been feeling insecure about your friendship with Ian, and I-I got it into my head that you’d fall for him, or you’d begin to realize that you wanted someone like  _ him _ , and… I-I don’t know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cry, or scare you.”

Loki tutted, wrapping his arms around the alpha, and burrowing his face into the crook of his neck. “I get it… but when you feel these things, you have to  _ talk _ to me, Thor… you can’t keep it all to yourself. Fears will  _ ruin _ us, and we can’t let fears come in between us. If you’re scared or uncomfortable, you have to  _ tell _ me. I can’t see inside your head, alpha.”

“Yeah… yeah. I’ll talk about what I’m feeling, when I feel it. I just… I didn’t want you to hate me, or feel like I was restricting you.” Explained Thor, hugging Loki close. “I know how you grew up, and I don’t want to ever make you feel like you can’t express yourself, or that I’m restricting you. I didn’t want to push you away with my thoughts and fears, Loki…”

It hurt Loki to know that Thor had been struggling with this, and he sighed deeply, his lips turned down in a frown. “Thor, we’re married. If you’re feeling  _ any _ sort of negative emotion about anything, you have to tell me. You can’t keep keeping secrets from me, alpha… you have to tell me things, and be honest with me, and trust that I’m not going to abandon you if you say something that I don’t like.”

Thor knew what Loki was saying was true, and he felt even guiltier for letting his emotions get the best of him. “Yeah… I’ll do better with being honest about how I’m feeling, and I’ll do better about sharing my thoughts with you, omega. I’m sorry…”

Loki kissed Thor tenderly, relieved that things were okay. “Even if I don’t like something you say, that doesn’t mean I’m going to leave. As long as you’re honest with me, and you explain yourself, we can work through it. Our vows were for better or for worse, and we have to mean them.”

“You’re right,” Sighed Thor, nestling his face into the crook of Loki’s neck. “I’ll do better, love.”

Loki knew that Thor meant this, and he hugged Thor tightly before loosening his hold, staring deeply into his husband’s eyes. “I love  _ you _ ; that’s it. No one else. Until the day you die, I’m yours, and even after that I don’t think I could ever be with someone else, because my heart belongs to you.”

This admittedly made Thor laugh softly, and he embraced Loki a bit more, relieved that he’d been able to talk about how he was feeling, and that he and Loki were able to overcome this. “I love you, too, Loki. I really do.”

Loki pecked Thor’s lips over a dozen times in rapid succession, laughing when this made Thor smile. “I love you. You’re it for me. Got it?”

“Yeah,” Laughed Thor, a soft smile on his face. “Yeah… thank you, love. For everything.”

“Of course,” Murmured Loki, stroking at Thor’s cheek. “We’re married, alpha. For better or for worse means something.”

Thor closed his eyes and kissed Loki warmly, feeling a million times better. “I’m okay, now. I believe you, and I know that you’d never cheat on me.”

“Are we okay?” Asked Loki, searching Thor’s gaze.

“We’re okay.” Assured Thor, meeting Loki for another kiss.

Loki was relieved that Thor had calmed down and that they were okay, and kissed him again, wanting nothing more than to crawl in bed with him, and fall asleep in his arms. “Let me take a quick shower before bed, alpha.”

Thor nodded, letting go of Loki and watching the omega stand up from his lap. “I might join you.”

This made Loki smile, and he reached out a hand, offering it to Thor. “I wouldn’t mind if you did.” Loki was just relieved that Thor was feeling better, and that he trusted him. He hadn’t expected Thor to shut down like he did, and it meant a lot to him that the alpha finally opened up, and was honest with him about his fears.

It would take them some time to make it through Thor’s insecurities, but Loki was determined to overcome it as a couple, and come out stronger than ever.

He loved the alpha- loved him with all of his heart, and he would do whatever he had to do to make sure that the alpha believed that he wasn’t going anywhere, and that he was in this forever.

Loki wasn’t going anywhere, anytime soon, and he never would.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

The first thing Loki woke up to the next morning was a  _ long _ text from Ian, apologizing for what had happened last night. He was asking if Loki would meet up with him so that they could talk about things, and Loki  _ knew _ that Thor’s insecurities would come back if he hid this from the alpha, so Loki sent a quick message to Ian, letting him know that he was no longer interested in maintaining their friendship, and that he would see him at work on Monday.

It  _ hurt _ that he had to let go of someone he was close to, but he refused to be friends with someone that didn’t respect him or his marriage, and didn’t want to be friends with anyone that made Thor uncomfortable. His marriage was more important than anyone or anything, and he wouldn’t jeopardize it by continuing to be friends with Ian.

He also immediately showed the message to Thor, and blocked Ian in front of the alpha, wanting to reassure him that he wouldn’t meet up with Ian again. He could see that the alpha was still worried, but he also saw that Thor was doing his best to trust and believe in their relationship.

The pair spent the weekend at home with their children, and once Monday rolled around, Loki felt himself grow nervous, as he knew that he and Ian worked closely together, side by side.

It made him really anxious to walk into the building Monday morning, and as he rode up on the elevator, he felt his heart beating in his chest. It was still early in the morning, so too many people weren’t here, and it made Loki’s heart drop into the pit of his stomach when his eyes locked with Ian’s. 

He put on a mask of indifference and entered his cubicle, setting down his things. “Natalie, Ian; goodmorning.”

“Morning, Loki!”Chirped Natalie, looking up at him and smiling.

“Loki, I-”

“I stand by the message that I sent you; please respect that.” Interrupted Loki, logging into his computer. 

“But-”

“I’m not discussing this.” Reiterated Loki, refusing to look at him. He was standing firm in his decision to end his friendship with the man, and continued to cut him off throughout the day, refusing to speak with him.

It wasn’t until he was alone in the break room that Ian finally managed to get him alone, and Loki stood up immediately when the alpha entered the room, refusing to be alone with him.

“Loki, wait!”

Loki simply ignored him, brushing past him and heading back to his desk. He’d promised Thor that he wouldn’t speak to Ian unless necessary, and continue to blow the alpha off, not backing down.

His friendship with Ian had meant a lot to him, and he didn’t appreciate Ian disrespecting him and his marriage by kissing him. If he would’ve confessed to Loki, things would’ve ended more amicably, but because Ian took it upon himself to ignore Loki’s rejection and kiss him anyway, Loki wanted nothing to do with him.

And he wasn’t interested in giving Ian the chance to make amends.

Every day the alpha tried to catch him alone, or tried to speak about what happened between them, but Loki didn’t give the alpha the chance to apologize, and continued to brush him off, not interested in hearing anything he had to say.

It took about a month before Ian realized that Loki was  _ very _ serious about ending their friendship, and after that, he just looked sad. Every time he interacted with Loki, he looked at him like the omega had snatched his heart out of his chest and dashed it upon the ground, and Loki couldn’t  _ stand  _ it.

The only thing that made Loki sad about this entire situation was their children. Their children had become close friends in the year that Ian and Loki became friends, and it made Aura and Luca sad that they could no longer interact with Ian’s children. It really affected Loki to see his children sad, but he knew that this was for the best.

Ian had crossed a boundary, and because of that, their friendship was over.

And Loki was okay with that.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After the Ian fiasco, Loki really wasn’t wanting to deal with any other drama. He and Thor were in a good place, the children were in daycare and making friends, and he and his mother and brother were still meeting up.

His father and other brother hadn’t approached him, and Loki didn’t think they ever would, so he made his peace with the fact that his father and brother would just remain out of his life. As much as it hurt, it was the best decision for his mental health.

So when his mother and brother came over on a Saturday afternoon three months after the Ian fiasco, Loki was shocked to his very core to see his entire family at his doorstep. He stared at them all in shock, his eyes flitting over to his mother. “Mother… what are they doing here?”

Laufey shifted his eyes nervously, looking back and forth between Loki and his husband. “Your father and brother wanted to see you and the children.”

Loki clenched his jaw in frustration, looking at his father and his brother. He hadn’t spoken to them in five years, and observed them carefully, wondering if he wanted to let them in. They were staring at him with stone cold expressions, and it honestly took some time for Loki to nod, allowing his family in. “...Come in.”

Loud shouting and happy screaming could be heard from the children’s playroom, and Farbauti and Helblindi looked over, obvious pain on their faces when they heard the jovial squeals of the children.

Loki didn’t feel comfortable introducing the children to his father and brother though, and instead called out to Thor. “Alpha?! Can you come in here?!”

Thor made his way out of the playroom, widening his eyes in disbelief when he saw Loki’s father and brother standing with his mother and other brother. “...Let me tell the children to stay in the playroom; I’ll meet you in the living room, omega.”

“Why can’t we meet the children?” Scoffed Farbauti, staring at Loki in disapproval. 

“Because I don’t feel comfortable allowing my children to meet people whose intentions I don’t know.” Answered Loki, giving his father a level gaze.

“That’s ridiculous! Loki, we’re your family!” Shouted Helblindi, getting upset with the omega. “We-”

“ _ Nope.” _ Interrupted Loki, raising a hand and taking a step back. “This is my home; you will not disrespect me in it. The next time anyone raises their voice at me, you will be told to leave, and you won’t be allowed to return; do I make myself clear?”

“Loki-”

“I  _ said,  _ do I make myself clear?” Hissed Loki, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

“Who do you think you are, speaking to me like that?” Scoffed Helblindi. “You don’t get to talk to me like that!”

“ _ Get out.” _

“Loki, Loki wait! H-He didn’t mean it!” Begged Laufey, reaching out to plead with his son. “Give him another chance!”

Loki shook his head, refusing to give in. “Mother, Father, Byleistr; you can all stay. Helblindi,  _ get _ out of my house; I will not repeat myself.”

Farbauti scoffed, in complete disbelief that Loki was acting this way. “Loki, that is your  _ brother _ !”

“The last time I saw my “brother” I was told that even if I was homeless and starving in the street, that I wouldn’t be helped, because I was no longer his brother. So  _ no _ , as far as I’m concerned, he  _ isn’t  _ my brother.” Answered Loki, standing firm on his decision. “So I will tell you once more, and only once more; get out of my house.”

“Helblindi, just say sorry!” Hissed Byleistr glaring at his brother before turning to Loki and begging him to allow their brother to stay. “Loki, i-if he apologizes, can he stay?”

Loki pursed his lips, remaining silent for a few seconds before agreeing. “If you apologize, you can stay.”

Helblindi scoffed, throwing his hands in the air. “For  _ what _ ? Why would I apologize?!”

Before Loki could respond, his father turned to glare at Helblindi. “Apologize to him.”

“Fa-”

_ “Now.” _

Helblindi rolled his eyes, glaring at the omega. “You know what? You think you’re so special because you went and married some bigshot! Well you’re not! You’re still that pathetic,  _ lonely _ person that no one cares about, and-”

“Is there a problem?” Interrupted Thor, swiftly coming into the hallway. “Because I’m certain that my wife told you to leave. You will  _ not _ demean or degrade my wife in our home. You have five seconds to get out of my house before I call the cops.”

“Whoa!” Gasped Farbauti, shocked that Thor was escalating this. “Surely-”

“Four seconds,” Interrupted Thor, pulling out his phone. “If Helblindi isn’t out, then I’ll have him removed from the property for trespassing.”

Loki’s brother huffed and turned around, pissed pheromones pouring from him. “You know what? I’ll leave. I’ll leave, and I don’t want to see your pathetic face again, Loki!”

Loki jumped slightly in Thor’s arms when Helblindi slammed their front door shut behind him, and bit a lower lip, fighting back tears.

Laufey and Byleistr seemed troubled, and looked back and forth between the door and Loki, not knowing what to do.

Loki honestly didn’t want to be around his family, and wiped at his tears, looking at his mother and brother Byleistr. “Please ask me if they’re allowed to come over, next time you come over. I don’t appreciate being ambushed.”

Laufey had a pained expression on his face, and he bit a lower lip, reaching out to rub at Loki’s side. “Um… your father has something he wants to say to you… can we all sit down in the living room?”

Loki looked up at Thor, silently asking for his opinion.

“This is all up to you, Loki,” Murmured Thor, rubbing at Loki’s side. “Whatever you want to do, I’ll support.”

Loki looked back at his family, seeing that they all had wary hope in their eyes. His father hadn’t done anything disrespectful - _ yet _ \- so after a moment’s hesitation, Loki nodded, gesturing for his family to follow him into the living room. “We can sit down in here.”

The family followed Loki to he and Thor’s living room, sitting down beside them, and waiting for Loki to say something.

“Well?” Asked Loki, staring at his father. “Mother said you had something to say?”

Farbauti nodded slowly, turning to face Loki. “Your mother and brother have explained to me your perspective on things. And they really upset me.”

“If you believe you can come in  _ my _ house, and disrespect me, then-”

“Hold on, Loki,” Murmured Farbauti, a patient expression on his face. “Let me finish;  _ please _ .”

Loki had never heard his father beg him to listen to him, and it was that simple word that made Loki give him a chance. “... _ Fine. _ ”

“It made me quite upset to hear how you felt about me, about your mother, about your brothers. And for a long time, I believed that you would come back to me and apologize. But that never happened.” Farbauti sighed then, his face falling. “And it took me this long to realize that you didn’t have to.”

Loki widened his eyes in disbelief, shocked that his father was admitting his guilt. “...What?”

“Your mother, brother, and I have been receiving counseling from the minister at our church… he’s been helping us all realize how we could’ve done things differently.” Explained Farbauti, a sadness in his eyes. “And you’ve been waiting for me to realize this your entire life… and from the bottom of my heart, I beg for your forgiveness.”

Loki almost fainted when his father apologized to him, and gaped at him, waiting for him to retract the apology, and blame him for them not talking for years, but… that never happened. 

Instead… instead his father waited, the seconds and then the minutes ticking by. And not  _ once _ did his father go back on his word, or get frustrated. Instead, the alpha just waited, staring at Loki with a patient understanding that he had never experienced from the man.

And it scared him.

_ Deeply. _

Loki didn’t know if he could trust his father’s apology, as it seemed too easy. With his mother and his brother there had been more strife, more arguing, more  _ pain _ , before the apology was given. And with his father, it had been the first thing out of his mouth.

And that scared him.

Loki was too terrified to accept his father’s apology, because he didn’t know if he did, and he let his father back into his life, into his  _ heart _ , that he wouldn’t be hurt again. And that was something that he wasn’t willing to experience. “Excuse me, I-I need a moment.”

Thor stood up when Loki did, and followed him to another room across the hall, sitting down and pulling the omega into his arms when he broke down. “Shh… it’s alright, Loki. It’s alright.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Wept Loki, sobbing into Thor’s neck. “I don’t know what to do!”

It broke Thor’s heart to see the one he loved so undone, and he hugged him close, emitting soothing pheromones in the hopes that this would calm him. “You do whatever you feel you’re supposed to do.”

“How am I just supposed to forgive him?! Just like that, years of mental and emotional abuse and manipulation are gone?!”

“No, no love,” Murmured Thor, rubbing soothing circles into his wife’s back. “You don’t have to forgive him. You don’t have to do a damn thing.”

“I don’t want to!” Cried Loki, continuing to weep in Thor’s arms. “What am I supposed to do?!”

“What do you feel like doing?” Asked Thor, placing as much care into his voice as he could.

Loki sniffed, thinking through his emotions before responding. “I can’t forgive him! I-I don’t want to. I-I don’t have it in me to go in there, and forgive that man for everything he’s ever done to me.”

“Then don’t forgive him,” Murmured Thor. “You’re not obligated to do a damn thing for your family. You do whatever you feel you want to do. If you want to walk in there and tell your father that you don’t want to forgive him, then do that. If you never want to see him, or your mother, or your brother again, then tell them. You need to do whatever is best for  _ you _ , Loki. And I will support whatever decision you make.”

Loki leaned into Thor’s embrace even more as the alpha reassured him, feeling so thankful that he had him. Thor always knew what to say, and was the beacon of light in his life that he’d always wanted. The alpha loved him unconditionally, and fiercely protected him and their children in a way he always yearned for.

And he really loved him.

He burrowed his face into the crook of Thor’s neck and inhaled his calming cinnamon and pine scent, allowing it to wash over him and relax him. “I love you.”

Thor smiled softly, running his fingers through Loki’s hair to soothe him further. “I love you, too. Just say the word, and I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”

“...Can you tell them to go home, and come back tomorrow?”

“Of course, love,” Assured Thor, kissing Loki’s temple before standing up. “I’ll be right back; want me to get the children?”

“Yeah…”

Thor kissed Loki’s temple again before leaving the room, and headed back to their living room, where Loki’s family were speaking in hushed whispers. “Uh… so Loki would like everyone to leave, and asks that you come back tomorrow.”

“But we live an hour away!” Cried Laufey, complete disbelief on his face. “I-”

“I’ll pay for someone to pick you up and take you home, tomorrow. I’ll also have lunch prepared by our chef, so please respect Loki’s wishes for the time being.” Interrupted Thor, his tone polite but firm.

Laufey frowned and looked away, heartbroken about the situation. “Can we at least say goodbye to the children?”

“...You and Byleistr can say goodbye to the children. I don’t think Loki wants his father to be introduced to the children, yet.” Answered Thor.

Laufey’s face fell at this, but he nodded, understanding the situation. “‘Bauti… can you wait in the car? Byleistr and I will be right out.”

“I understand.” Sighed Farbauti, standing up and looking at Thor. “Thank you, Thor. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Thor walked Loki’s father to the door, making sure he was gone before calling out to his children. “Aura! Luca! Come say goodbye to Grandma and Uncle Byleistr!”

The two toddlers ran out of the play room and into the living room, catapulting themselves onto the couch where Laufey and Byleistr were sitting. “Bye Grandma!” 

Laufey smiled warmly at the children, pulling them both into his lap and kissing them. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow. Grandma loves you!”

“I love you too, Grandma!” Cheered Aura, hugging Laufey and kissing him.

“Yeah, I love you Grandma!” Added Luca, kissing Laufey as well.

Laufey hugged his grandchildren tight before letting go, smiling fondly at them. “Say goodbye to your uncle.”

Luca crawled over to Byleistr, kissing his uncle goodbye on his cheek. “Bye bye, Uncle By!”

Aura hopped over to her uncle, kissing his other cheek. “Bye bye, Uncle By!” 

The children found it hard to say Byleistr’s name, so they just called him “Uncle By”, which the beta found charming. He hugged the children and kissed their crowns, rubbing at their backs. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“Kay!” Chirped the twins, bouncing off the couch and running over to Thor.

“Thank you, again; we’ll see you tomorrow.” Stated Thor, looking at Loki’s family.

The omega’s mother and brother thanked him and left, so Thor picked up the twins, heading back to the room Loki was in. “Mommy’s feeling sad guys, so we have to help him feel better.”

“Oh no!” Gasped Luca, getting worried about his mother.

“Mommy’s sad?” Asked Aura, her lower lip beginning to quiver.

The children gasped when they saw that Loki was crying, and struggled in Thor’s arms, wanting to be set down so that they could run over to Loki. Once they were set down, the twins ran over to Loki and climbed into his lap, hugging him and nestling their faces into the sides of Loki’s neck.

“Don’t cry, Mommy!” Begged Aura, her eyes shining with tears. “Don’t cry!”

“Yeah!” Echoed Luca, his eyes watering as well. “Don’t cry!”

Before Loki could respond, the twins began to shower his face with kisses, peppering him with so many that he could only laugh. “What are you guys doing?”

“You always kiss us when we’re sad!” Answered Luca, hugging Loki tightly. 

“Yeah! Kisses help!” Added Aura, returning to peppering Loki’s face with kisses.

“Yeah!” Echoed Luca, kissing Loki’s face over and over again. “Don’t be sad, Mommy!”

Loki snorted and hugged his children, squeezing them extra tight and making them giggle. “Mommy feels better, guys. Thank you for your kisses.”

“Really?” Asked Luca, hope shining in his eyes.

“Did we help?” Questioned Aura, hope in her eyes as well.

Loki nodded, smothering his children’s faces with kisses until they were writhing with amusement in his arms. “You really helped Mommy feel better. Mommy loves you both so  _ much _ !”

The twins cheered, happy that they were able to help Loki feel better.

“Why don’t we eat lunch before naptime?” Suggested Thor, smiling down at his family. He was happy that the twins were able to help Loki feel better, and led his family to the kitchen, opening their fridge and searching for a snack for the twins. “What do you guys want to eat?”

“PB&J!” Announced Luca, getting excited.

“Ham!” Answered Aura, clapping her hands in excitement.

“You have to cut it in squares like Mommy!” Reminded Luca, looking up at Thor intensely.

Loki snorted, amused with his children. “If you don't cut it into four squares and cut the crust off, they won’t eat it.”

“What?” Asked Thor, an incredulous look on his face. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Children are ridiculous sometimes, Thor.” Laughed Loki

“Mommy, what does ridiculous mean?” Asked Aura, reaching her arms up so that Loki could pick her up. 

“Uh… it means that you’re  _ really _ funny.” Answered Loki, kissing his daughter’s cheeks as he picked her up.

“Then you’re  _ really _ ridiculous, Daddy!” Announced Luca, proud of himself for learning a new work.

Thor looked over at Loki and began to laugh, amused by the whole exchange. “Thank you, Luca. Why don’t you and Aura let Mommy help you onto your booster seats?”

“‘Kay!” Chirped Luca, running over to Loki and reaching to be picked up, too.

Loki kissed Aura and set her down at her booster seat at the counter top, and bent over to pick up Luca, kissing him before setting him down on his own booster seat, next to his sister. “What do you guys want to drink?”

“Can I have apple juice?” Asked Luca.

“I want grape juice!” Answered Aura.

Loki ruffled the hair of his children before heading to their refrigerator in the kitchen, and pouring juice into their sippy cups. He set them down right after Thor set down their sandwiches, smiling at the twins. “Eat up, guys.”

“No, Mommy!” Protested Luca, holding up his sandwich. “You have to kiss it!”

“Yeah! Papa, too!” Echoed Aura, holding up her sandwich expectantly.

Loki laughed softly and took a square of Luca’s sandwich, pressing his lips against it. “Mwah!” He did the same thing to the other three squares before handing the plate to Thor. “Your turn.”

Thor took each square piece and kissed it, setting it down in front of Luca. “There you go, Luca.”

“Me too!” Huffed Aura, her face scrunching up in frustration. 

“Mommy and Papa didn’t forget about you, sweetheart.” Assured Loki, kissing each piece of Aura’s sandwich.

Thor did the same thing, before kissing Aura on the cheek. “We didn’t forget about you, sweetheart.” He then quickly moved to kiss Luca, not wanting the boy to get jealous. “Or you, sweet boy.”

The twins giggled and began to eat their sandwiches, so Loki and Thor watched their children eat with fond smiles on their faces. Once their children were finished, the pair picked them up and carried them to their bedroom, tucking them into bed and turning on the calming sound of crashing waves, kissing them goodbye before closing the door.

Their children usually napped for 2 hours if they were lucky, so Thor and Loki headed to their bedroom, plopping down on the bed and resting on the mattress. “What a day.”

Loki laughed softly, turning towards Thor with a twinkle in his eyes. “Want to hear something that’ll make it even crazier?”

Thor snorted, turning to look at Loki. “Sure; what is it?”

Sitting up, Loki reached over into their bedside drawer, pulling out something and handing it to Thor. “Surprise!”

Thor took the item in his hands, his eyes going wide with shock when he saw that Loki had handed him a positive pregnancy test. “Y-You’re  _ pregnant _ ?! A-Again?!”

Loki nodded, biting back a laugh. He knew that Thor would be worried, but also knew that the alpha would come around to it, just like he did with the twins. And there was no doubt in Loki’s mind that Thor would love their new child just as much as he loved their twins, and would continue to be an excellent father. “I have an appointment scheduled for Monday morning, before work.”

Thor’s head was whirling from the news that their family was expanding, and he let out an incredulous laugh, staring down at the positive pregnancy test. “Norns…” The last thing he wanted was for Loki to think he wasn’t happy, so he pulled the omega into his arms, kissing his temple. “I-I’m happy omega, I-I’m just surprised.”

“I know,” Murmured Loki, wrapping his arms around the alpha. “And I’m okay with that; I’m not worried.”

Thor relaxed then, nestling his face into the crook of Loki’s neck, and scenting him. “I love you, and I swear I’m happy. I’m just surprised.”

“And that’s okay,” Reassured Loki, rubbing at Thor’s side. “We weren’t planning to have another baby this soon, so I’m a bit surprised, too. But the twins are turning 3 soon and are in preschool now, so I think we’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine.” Agreed Thor, shooting his spouse a smile. “We’ll be just fine.”

“As long as it’s not multiples again.” Laughed Loki, patting at his flat stomach. “If it is, we’re not having any more children; you’ll need to get  _ snipped _ .”

Thor laughed as well, not bothered by this. “Sure, if it’s multiples again, I’ll get a vasectomy. Since you’re on birth control and still got pregnant, me getting a vasectomy will make sure that there will be  _ no _ more children.”

“I think they have a failure rate of 0.01 percent, so we’ll be fine.” Assured Loki, yawning into his hand. “Thank you for taking control of what happened earlier.”

Thor’s face softened, and he nodded, rubbing at Loki’s thigh. “Of course, love. I’ll always fight for you.” He squeezed Loki’s thigh affectionately, not wanting him to worry. “I told your family that they can come back tomorrow, and that I’ll send someone to bring them over so that they don’t have to drive.”

“...What about Helblindi?”

“He isn’t welcome until you say he is. He won’t be coming here, tomorrow.”

Loki’s shoulders sagged in relief, and he nodded, running a tired hand through his hair. “I still don’t know how to feel about my father’s apology… I don’t even want to look at him, much less let him meet the children.”

“Then don’t,” Murmured Thor, rubbing his thumb over the back of Loki’s hand. “This is a process, Loki. And you don’t owe your father a damn thing. You don’t owe anyone in your family anything. At  _ all _ .”

It was reassuring to hear this, so Loki thought long and hard before responding. “I-I want him to come over tomorrow… I want to hear what he has to say. A-And… and I don’t think I can forgive him, but… depending on what he says, it will determine how I go forward with the relationship.”

“And that’s fine,” Assured Thor. “I support you, with whatever decision you feel is best for you.”

Loki moved to hug Thor, nestling his face into the crook of the alpha’s neck. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Everything will be okay, and I’ll be there the whole time; they can’t hurt you anymore.” Comforted Thor, wrapping his arms around Loki. “Everything you do from this moment forward should be because  _ you _ want to do it; not for me, not for your mother, or your brothers, or your father. Do everything because  _ you _ want to do it.”

This made Loki smile, and he nodded, relaxing in Thor’s embrace. “Thank you.” He was very thankful for Thor, and found himself wondering about tomorrow, when his family would return.

It scared him to know that his family -excluding Helblindi- were all trying to better themselves, because he felt like it was too good to be true. But above all else, he trusted Thor’s advice. Just like he set careful boundaries with his mother and brother, he would do the same with his father.

And slowly but surely, things would one day make sense.

  
✬⭒✭⭒✮


	22. The End

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki was sitting down in front of his family in their living room; the silence between them stifling and uncomfortable. His family had just been driven to his home, and they were now all sitting in his living room, waiting for Loki to speak. He couldn’t even look at his family, panic rising in him as he realized that he had all the power in this situation. It  _ terrified _ him to see these people in front of him, because for so long he was used to being combative, being angry, being  _ hurt _ , and now his family had seemingly turned over a new leaf and were begging for forgiveness.

And what terrified him the most was the wary hope about their situation that was rising in him. He was finally receiving something that he’d been praying his entire life for, and to finally get it scared him. He thought that if this day ever came, he would finally unleash his wrath on his family and ignore them as they begged for forgiveness, not wanting anything to do with them anymore, and wanting them to wallow in their misery.

But that hadn’t happened. 

With his brother Byleistr and his mother, they had all been working with Loki for over a year, listening to him and respecting his boundaries. And because of that, they’d developed a sort of amicable relationship. When it came to his father though… Loki didn’t want to give in and give his father a chance. He was still wanting to hold onto the feelings of hurt and pain in his heart that his father inflicted upon him, and those feelings conflicted with the growing desire to see if his father really meant what he said the other day.

What helped calm him and guide him though were Thor’s words from yesterday. Any decision he made should be whatever was best for  _ him _ . Not his father, not his mother, not his brothers, but  _ him _ .

And he now knew what he wanted to do.

Clearing his throat, Loki took Thor’s hand, feeling the alpha’s love and devotion for him when Thor gently squeezed his hand in careful reassurance. He shot the alpha an appreciative smile before looking at his father, becoming serious. “Thank you for coming over; all of you.”

“Of course, Loki.” Murmured Farbauti.

“Um… Father… I don’t think I’m in a place where I can accept your apology. I don’t think that I’m able to receive it either.” He sighed then, looking down at his hands before reassuring himself and looking back at his father. “I’m willing to implement boundaries with you; the same boundaries that I gave to Mother and Byleistr.”

Farbauti nodded slowly, agreeing with Loki. “...Alright. I understand.”

“You are not allowed to undermine me. If we are at my house and you do, then you will be told to leave, and you will not be allowed to return until you apologize. Do I make myself clear?”

It was obvious that Loki’s direct tone bothered his father, and after a moment of silence, the alpha agreed, nodding slowly. “I will follow this.”

“You’re also not allowed to try and indoctrinate our children about your views about alphas and omegas, about religion, or about anything that does not align with how Thor and I are raising our children. If you do, you will not be allowed around them.” Stated Loki, standing firm in his decision. “We are raising the children in Thor’s faith. I don’t want them to be swayed by your beliefs, or to believe that your way is a proper way of living. Is this understood?”

Farbauti frowned deeply, obviously upset by this. “So I’m just supposed to sit back, and let my grandchildren be damned to hell?”

“We have to respect Loki and his beliefs, Father,” Sighed Byleistr, shooting the man a patient look. “We don’t have the right to tell Loki how to raise his children.”

“But-”

“We just have to trust that the Norns have a plan for him and his children, honey.” Interrupted Laufey, a pained look on his face. “This is the only way you’ll be allowed to meet the children, and be in their lives.”

It was obvious that Farbauti was struggling to agree to this, so Loki huffed in frustration, narrowing his eyes at his father. “This is my home, those are my children, and this is my life. If you’re going to be in any of our lives, you’re going to have to abide by the rules and boundaries that I set in place. If you can’t, there’s the door.”

“Loki-”

“ _ No. _ All of my life you’ve told me who to be, how to act, and what to believe; you don’t get to do that anymore!” Interrupted Loki, a fearsome look on his face. “If you want to be in my life, you need to abide by the rules I set in place! And if you can’t, you’re not welcome.”

“But what about me?! Do I not get a say in all of this?” Asked Farbauti, his temple throbbing in frustration. “What about the things  _ I _ want?”

“You  _ cannot _ control what I do with  _ my  _ life, or  _ my  _ children! You have no jurisdiction over those things! And if you cannot accept that, then you will not be allowed into my life, and you will not be allowed to see or be around the children. Why is this so hard to comprehend?!” Reiterated Loki, shaking his head in disbelief. “I’m an adult! I’m 36! I’m not a child! I have my own life, my own family, and I  _ don’t _ need any of you! But I’m giving each of you the opportunity to forge ahead, and build something new with me. And if you don’t want to, then that is on you!”

The entire room was silent after Loki’s tirade, and everyone looked at Farbauti, seeing his face flit through a multitude of emotions. He finally bit a lower lip and glanced over at Loki, a look of defeat on his face. “I don’t want you or my grandchildren going to hell, Loki.”

“And we’re  _ not _ , because we follow Thor’s faith, and in Thor’s faith, hell doesn’t exist.” Answered Loki, resolute in his decisions. “If you’re going to be in our lives, you have to understand that we believe different things. And if you can’t, then that is your decision. But mother and Byleistr have already committed themselves to understanding, and if you’re going to be in the lives of myself and my children, you will have to accept that our beliefs are different.”

The room was silent as Farbauti took in Loki’s words, and they all observed him, waiting for him to respond.

Finally the alpha sighed, giving into Loki’s demands. “...If it means I can see you and the children, then… then I’ll do this. I’ll do it.”

Loki exhaled slowly in relief, feeling like the weight of the world was off of his shoulders. He was still a bit wary of his father, but felt more comfortable pursuing something now that his father had agreed to do things his way. He looked up at Thor next, rubbing at the alpha’s thigh. “Alpha? Do you feel comfortable with him seeing the children?”

“That’s up you, omega.” Murmured Thor, taking Loki’s hand and kissing it. “If you feel comfortable with him being introduced to the children, then so do I.”

Loki nodded, deciding that he was okay with his father seeing the children. “Okay. Aura! Luca! Come into the living room, please!”

The pitter-patter of excited little feet was almost  _ immediate _ , and the twins ran into the living room, catapulting themselves into Laufey and Byleistr’s laps. “Grandma! Uncle By!”

Laufey and Byleistr hugged the toddlers close, kissing their temples. “Hi, guys!”

“Aura, Luca, your father and I have someone we want you to meet.” Murmured Loki, looking over at his father. The alpha had a heartbroken expression on his face and tears in his eyes as he observed the twins interacting with Laufey and Byleistr.

The twins looked over at Farbauti, eyeing him curiously.

“Luca, Aura, this is your grandfather, Farbauti.”

Luca was the braver of the two children, and he crawled out of Laufey’s lap, climbing into Farbauti’s. “You’re my grandpa?”

“Yes, sweet child.” Murmured Farbauti, his voice cracking with emotion. “I’m your grandfather.”

“Pop pop?” Asked Aura, making her way over to Farbauti’s lap next.

The adorable nickname made Farbauti laugh, and seeing his father let out a genuine, heartfelt laugh for the first time in his life made Loki tear up. He quickly wiped at his eyes and continued to observe how his father interacted with the children, wary hope rising in him.

“You can call me “Pop Pop” if you want,” Chuckled Farbauti, hugging the twins and pressing kisses against their crowns. “And Pop Pop loves you both very  _ very _ much.”

Luca and Aura grinned, beginning to giggle as they hugged Farbauti. “Pop Pop!”

Seeing Loki’s father interact with their children made Thor happy, as he understood that they were witnessing a side of Farbauti that no one had ever seen before. Thor could only imagine what it meant for Loki to see his family like this, and while the alpha knew that it probably hurt Loki deeply to see his brother Helblindi missing, he still had hope that the alpha would eventually come around.

Loki inhaled in surprise when he saw his father begin to cry, and seeing the usually stoic and reserved alpha cry did pull at his heart. Never in his  _ life _ had he ever seen his father cry, and seeing the alpha break down and show his true emotions made Loki realize just how serious his father was about agreeing to his boundaries, and how much the man regretted his actions towards his son.

Luca and Aura gasped when they saw Farbauti crying, and they rushed to console him, not wanting him to be upset. “No, Pop Pop! Don’t cry!” Urged Luca, pressing comforting kisses against his grandfather’s face.

“Yeah! Don’t cry, Pop Pop!” Added Aura, quite concerned for the man. “Don’t cry!”

Farbauti hugged the children even closer and smiled sadly as they peppered his face with kisses. “Thank you Luca, thank you Aura.” His voice shook then, and he wiped at his eyes, taking in a shuddering breath. “I missed everything…”

Loki looked down at his palms, anxiously clenching his hands. “Well… you have the opportunity to try again, in 8 months.”

Every member of Loki’s family snapped their heads up to stare at him in shock, and his mother leaned further, hope in his eyes. “Y-You’re pregnant?!”

Loki nodded, smiling softly at his family. “I am.”

“Oh my Norns!” Cried Laufey, rushing to hug Loki and breaking down in the omega’s arms. “Oh my Norns! I-I’m so happy! I-I’m so happy!”

Loki’s arms wrapped around his mother’s body hesitantly, and he hugged him, feeling a multitude of emotion. He ended up tearing up too -as much as he hated to admit it, being hugged by his mother felt  _ nice _ \- and hugged his mother closer, smiling as his tears spilled over the rims of his eyes. “We don’t know how far along we are, but we have an appointment tomorrow.”

Laufey sniffed and wiped at his eyes, pure joy radiating from his face. “C-Can I come?”

Loki looked over at Thor, seeing in the alpha’s eyes and countenance that he would be okay with whatever Loki decided. After a moment’s hesitation Loki nodded, hoping that he wasn’t making a mistake. “... _ Sure _ . I’ll have Thor send a car to your home to pick you up and take you home after the appointment, since I have to work.”

“Oh, I could just stay and watch the children.” Announced Laufey, pulling back and wiping at his eyes. “I can watch them tomorrow, and then when you come home I can be driven back.”

Loki looked over at Thor, not really wanting his mother to watch the children, but understanding that his mother was trying to be helpful, and participate in their lives the only way he knew how. Thor nodded at him and gave him his support, so Loki exhaled softly, agreeing with this. “Alright… you can stay at home and watch the children until I get home, tomorrow.”

Laufey grinned, his smile making Loki feel conflicted. It was so…  _ odd _ for him to see his family like this, as he was so used to them being oppressive and combative. He was used to being torn apart, to not being given a choice, to being told he had to be a certain way, and that his thoughts and opinion didn’t matter, so for the script to now be flipped was unnerving.

He tucked these emotions away though and continued to watch his father interact with the children, not able to lie about how it made him feel. It was comforting to see that the alpha was very genuine about wanting to change, and that he wanted to be in their lives.

Loki just hoped that he wasn’t making a mistake by allowing his father back into his life.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Monday morning Loki and Thor kissed their children goodbye, and left with Loki’s mother to attend his first OBGYN appointment for the pregnancy.

Loki was admittedly excited to see how far along he was, and because he wasn’t even showing yet and didn’t really feel any severe symptoms, he believed he wasn’t too far along.

The family arrived at the doctor and signed in, waiting patiently to be called back. It didn’t take too long because it was so early in the morning, and once they were in a room, Loki sat down on the examination table, unbuttoning and unzipping his pants to allow access to his lower abdomen.

“Are you excited?”

Loki turned to look over at his mother, who was smiling expectantly at him. “Yes, yes I am.”

“What do you guys think you’ll have?” 

“I hope we get an alpha, since I’m all alone right now.” Laughed Thor, shooting Loki a playful wink so that the omega knew he was only joking.

“I wouldn’t mind having an alpha,” Responded Loki, his hand coming to cover his stomach. “I think an alpha would be a nice addition to the family.”

“What if it’s a beta?” Asked Laufey.

It was uncommon for an Alpha/Omega pair to have a beta -the chances were usually 10%- but even if they did have a beta, Loki wouldn’t mind. “We’d love the child just the same.”

Laufey nodded, a wistful expression on his face. “That’s how I felt when I had your brother Byleistr. Your father was so disappointed that Byleistr was a beta, but all I could do when I stared at him was love him to pieces.”

It made Loki sad that his mother had to deal with that, and he wondered for the millionth time why his mother stayed with his father. He knew though that his mother wasn’t independent and relied heavily on his father for support, so he knew that his mother would never leave the alpha.

A gentle knock at their door interrupted the family, and Loki called out for the doctor to come in, smiling at her as she entered. “Hello, doctor.”

“Hello, Mr. Laufeyson. I see you’ve got your family with you today.” Greeted his doctor, smiling at his family. “Nice to see all of you.” She sat down on her stool then, looking over his charts. “It looks like you’re pregnant! Congratulations!”

“Thank you.” Murmured Loki, beginning to feel nervous. He hoped that everything was okay, and that the baby was fine and healthy, and that there would be nothing to be worried about.

“Your hCG levels are higher than usual; you know what that means.”

Loki widened his eyes, his jaw falling open as he let out an incredulous laugh. “You’re joking…”

Thor’s heart beat anxiously in his chest, and he let out a nervous laugh. “Uh… please tell me that’s because he’s further along in the pregnancy than we thought.”

“That’s not how hCG works, unfortunately.” Laughed their doctor, setting up the ultrasound machine and squirting some of the jelly onto Loki’s lower abdomen. “Let me look over you with an ultrasound before I confirm it.”

Everyone in the room watched the ultrasound screen in anticipation, inhaling sharply when they saw the screen. 

“Oh my Norns,” Laughed Loki, not even surprised by what he was seeing. “I had a feeling I was right.”

Thor stared at the ultrasound screen in disbelief, beginning to shake his head as he laughed. “I guess we’re having twins, again.”

“That’s amazing, Loki!” Congratulated his mother, rubbing at Loki’s side and smiling down at him. “Twins! Again!”

“So it looks like you are 6 weeks along with fraternal twins, Mr. Laufeyson.” Explained Loki’s doctor. “It’s obviously too early to tell either sex, but if you come back at week 21, we can tell you whether you’re having an alpha, omega, or beta, and a boy or a girl.”

Loki could only laugh as he stared up at the ultrasound screen, feeling a mixture of shock, awe, happiness, anxiety, and everything in between. “I hope you know you’re getting snipped, Thor.”

Thor gently squeezed Loki’s hand and chuckled, rubbing at the back of his hand with his thumb. “I’ll make an appointment.”

“But if you get a vasectomy, you can’t have more children!” Gasped Laufey. “Don’t you want more?”

_ “No,”  _ Laughed Loki, shaking his head. “We only wanted to have 3 or 4 children, and with these two we have 4, so we are  _ done _ .”

Laufey’s face fell, and he turned back to look at the ultrasound screen, smiling sadly. “Well at least we get these two.”

Loki was genuinely surprised that his mother didn’t berate him and make him feel guilty for not having more children, and smiled softly, feeling quite happy that their relationship was changing. It was something small, but it still  _ mattered  _ to him.

It gave him hope that maybe in a few years, he’d have a closer, more healthy relationship with his mother.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After finding out he was pregnant with twins again, Loki was promoted to Senior Manager, and realized that his workload and responsibilities were about to increase. 

He was getting closer and closer to getting to his dream position in the company, and while getting promoted offered him more perks, it also came with some downsides, like having to work at least 12 hours a day, one day a week.

He would have to take a leave of absence after 7 months of pregnancy, which meant that he’d be out of work for 4 months. While it wouldn’t impact them financially, it would impact Loki’s position, as he knew that it would be inconvenient for the company if Loki left his position for that long.

They also needed to keep in mind that he couldn’t return to work too early, as he needed to recover from the delivery, and bond with the children. He was in a place where he always wanted to be though, and while being pregnant now wasn’t in their plan, he and Thor were determined to make things work for their family.

They made it work with Aura and Luca when they were born, and they would make it work with these children, too.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

After Loki’s father reentered his life, he carefully began a hesitant relationship with the man, making sure to enact and stand by all of his boundaries. And while it was hard, the two forged forward, the appeal of being in Loki’s life and the lives of his children, more important than giving rise to any negative or toxic behaviors.

His brother Helblindi never once came back into his life in the months that Loki was pregnant, and although it hurt, he didn’t let it bring him down, as he already had so many people in his life that loved him and cared about him.

And their baby shower for the twins was evidence of that.

Frigga threw Loki and Thor a gender-reveal baby shower -the men figured they’d keep both genders of the twins unknown until this baby shower, as this was a fun trend- and was the only one who knew the genders of the twins.

The baby shower was thrown when Loki was 7 months along with the twins, and it was also the first time that Thor’s family would be meeting with Loki’s family, since their engagement party 5 years ago.

Loki was admittedly nervous about the meeting between their families, and found himself troubled about it the night before the baby shower. His parents and Byleistr were spending the night with them so that they could attend the event tomorrow, and were sleeping in guest rooms in the mansion.

He’d been  _ extremely _ hesitant to allow this -the last thing he wanted was his family staying over multiple times a week, as he  _ knew _ they’d worm their way into asking to live with him- and sighed as he got ready for bed, sitting on the side of his bed and frowning.

Thor noticed that Loki seemed troubled and raised an eyebrow at the man, pulling on his nightshirt. “...Everything okay, omega?”

“I’m just worried,” Murmured Loki, biting a lower lip. “Our families haven’t met in five years, and I know your family isn’t too fond of my family.”

“With good reason,” Muttered Thor, shimmying out of his pants and tossing them into his hamper. “Your family has only been nice to you for the past two years or so, love. They have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Yeah,” Agreed Loki, running a nervous hand through his hair. “I’m just worried about my family causing a scene like they did at our engagement party. They’ve been on their best behavior, but I keep going to worst case scenarios in my head, and imagining that they’ll ruin everything that we’ve been working so hard for, and I’ll end up getting hurt in the end…”

Thor tutted, sitting down next to Loki and taking his hand before kissing his knuckles. “Don’t worry about any of that. If your family attempts to ruin tomorrow, then that is on them;  _ not _ on you. You’re still as amazing as you’ve always been, and you’ll always have the love and support of my family.” He kissed Loki’s knuckles again, smiling against them when Loki smiled, too. “I love you, omega. Everything will turn out the way it’s meant to, and we’ll tackle it together; you’re not alone.”

Loki loved Thor so  _ much _ , and gently squeezed the alpha’s hand as he kissed his knuckles, so thankful that he had the alpha in his life. “Thank you.” He closed his eyes and met Thor in the middle for a kiss, frowning when a sharp kick to his bladder made him jump slightly. “Norns, these children! I’ll be right back.”

Thor snorted as he watched Loki waddle off to the bathroom, and stood up, heading over to his side of the bed and climbing in. Loki was handling this pregnancy much differently than he did their first pregnancy, so he was proud of the omega. He didn’t let his growing weight or changing body negatively impact him, and they were more secure in their relationship now than they were when they got pregnant with Aura and Luca, which were all things he was thankful for.

“Sorry, one of them kicked my bladder.” Sighed Loki, yawning into his hand as he reentered the room and climbed into bed. “Make sure your mother doesn’t tell my mother that she knows what I’m having. I don’t want  _ any _ issues tomorrow.”

“Oh, shit… uh… let me message my mother about that,” Sighed Thor, quickly sending his mother a message. “I’ll tell her to make sure that she tells my whole family not to reveal the fact that she knows what we’re having.”

“Thank you,” Sighed Loki, turning on his side and settling down in the bed. “I just want to do whatever I can to prevent my mother or my family members causing drama.”

Thor settled on his side next to Loki and kissed him, not wanting him to worry. “Everything will be okay, babe. I promise.”

Loki hummed against Thor’s lips, praying to the Norns that he was right.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki couldn’t say he was surprised when he woke up and breakfast was laid out before him at their dining room table, with Luca and Aura sitting in their booster seats, munching on turkey bacon. “Hi, Mommy!” Greeted the twins, the smiles on their faces making his heart swell with love. “Good morning, everyone.” Murmured Loki, waving at his family.

Laufey stood up when Loki entered the dining room, urging him to sit down. “Sit down, Loki baby; I’ll fix your plate.”

Loki thanked his mother as he helped him sit down, and scooted into the table, kissing Thor’s cheek. “Morning, alpha.”

“Hey. I wanted to let you sleep in, since you had trouble sleeping last night.” Murmured Thor, rubbing at his thigh. “And your mother wanted to make breakfast, so I let him.”

“I figured,” Yawned Loki, sipping at the water Laufey sat down next to him. “Thank you, Mother.”

Laufey hummed, quickly fixing Loki’s plate of food and setting it down in front of him. “Today’s a special day; we find out what you’re having.”

“Yep,” Yawned Loki again, picking up his utensils and cutting into his pancakes.

“Was Thor’s mother able to arrange everything?” Asked Laufey, sitting down next to Loki.

“She was,” Answered Loki, beginning to eat his meal.

“How did the baker know what color to make the cakes? No one knows the genders, right?”

“Um… Frigga had an envelope, and the baker and the person that made the banner looked inside the envelope before handing it back to her.” Answered Loki, giving off the appearance of being nonchalant. “She doesn’t know what we’re having, either.”

Laufey’s shoulders sagged in relief, and he hummed, returning to his meal. “I’m so excited! What do you think they’ll be, Luca and Aura?”

“I want a baby brother.” Stated Luca, grabbing another piece of turkey bacon.

“I want a baby sister!” Announced Aura, beginning to giggle. “Then we can both be princesses!”

The innocence of their children made Loki smile, and he blew them both kisses, beginning to laugh when they blew him kisses back. “You never know, it could be a baby boy and a baby girl, just like you both.”

Thor snorted at the statement, beginning to wonder what they were having as well. The anticipation had been killing him throughout Loki’s pregnancy, but Loki and Frigga really wanted to do a gender reveal party, so he’d been patiently waiting for this day. “That would actually be very funny if they were a boy and a girl.”

The family continued to speak about how excited they were about finding out the genders of the twins, and after breakfast Loki headed up to his room, wanting to lay down before the party. He always got tired much easier the later he got in his pregnancies, and knew that he’d need every single ounce of his energy to make it through the baby shower.

It was planned for 12, so around 10 am Loki woke up and showered, getting ready for the event. He was grateful that his mother had gotten the children ready, and found himself wondering if it would be better for the children to have his mother around more, instead of their nanny.

It would certainly help to have him around once he delivered the twins, and would also help their relationship. He really didn’t want his family to live with him and Thor in their mansion though -he  _ needed _ his space- but he also believed that it would be nice to have a family member taking care of the children, rather than a nanny. He decided that he would bring up the thought to Thor, and see what the alpha thought about it.

The alpha was currently getting ready for the event, so after showering and drying off Loki made his way into their bedroom, walking into his closet. “Hey, Thor?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you come here?”

Thor left his own closet and walked into Loki’s, looking him over and making sure that he wasn’t hurt anywhere. “Are you alright, omega?”

Loki nodded, sorting through his shirts until he found the one he wanted to wear for the event. “I wanted your opinion on something.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Do you think I should ask my mom to watch over the children when the twins are born? I don’t think I want him to stay forever, but it would help if he was there for the first month or two.”

Thor hummed, thinking over his answer before responding honestly. “While I think he would love that, I don’t know if it would be a good idea. You and I can only handle your mother in doses, and I don’t think you want to be stressed and annoyed from having to avoid arguments,  _ right _ after you have the twins. I think we should just hire a live-in nanny for the time being, and renew their contract on a month by month basis.”

Loki bit a lower lip, beginning to get worried. “I know that will upset him though…”

“Loki, this is even more of a reason to not ask him to stay with us for a bit after you have the twins; you’re already starting to think about doing something just so he doesn’t get mad at you.” Murmured Thor, concern in his eyes. “I don’t want you doing anything that you don’t want to do. And I  _ really _ don’t want you doing things just so that your family won’t get mad at you.”

Loki knew that Thor was right, and sighed as he pulled on his shirt, beginning to search for some pants. “Yeah…”

“I’m serious, Loki. Do things because  _ you _ want to do them. I don’t think your mother moving in with us when the twins get here is a good idea, and I don’t think that it will work out the way you’re wanting it to.” Reiterated Thor, crossing his arms. “You worked  _ so _ hard to get out of your family’s clutches, and asking him to move in with us puts you  _ right _ back into that situation. And if he moved in, then your father would, then your mother would try and convince you to allow your brothers to move in, and it will be the  _ exact _ scenario you wanted to avoid.”

“You’re right,” Agreed Loki, shimmying into his pants. “I won’t ask him.”

Thor let out a sigh of relief, glad that he was able to help Loki see reason. “Do you need me to do anything for you before we head downstairs?”

Loki shook his head no, running through his hair with his fingers. “No, I’m ready to head downstairs now. Is everyone ready?”

“Yep; they’re just waiting on you.”

Loki looked himself over in the mirror before turning to leave his closet, happy about how he looked. “I’m ready.”

Taking Loki’s hand, Thor kissed his knuckles and winked at him, leading him out of their bedroom and downstairs, to their backyard. They’d invited most of Thor’s family and invited their friends, so Loki was excited for the event, knowing that it would be a grand event.

Everyone was already gathered in the backyard, so once they walked outside everyone began to clap and cheer for the couple, drawing attention to them.

Loki rolled his eyes and walked over to where the cakes and banner were, figuring that they’d do the gender reveal now, and then eat, and then open gifts. “Hello everyone! Thank you for joining Thor and I for our gender reveal party! I want to get started, so if everyone can quiet down, we’ll cut into the cakes.”

They’d gotten two large cakes -one for each baby- and grabbed a cake cutter, smiling up at Thor when Thor’s hand came to cover his. “Ready?”

Thor nodded, his heart beating anxiously. Together, the couple cut into the first cake and lifted the slice, seeing that it was dark pink, which represented an alpha girl.

Everyone began to cheer and clap for them, and Loki felt himself tear up, happy that they were getting an alpha. 

Thor hugged Loki tight and kissed his bond-scar, elated that they were having an alpha. “Ready for the next one?”

Loki set down the slice on a plate and nodded, grabbing the cake cutter again and cutting into the 2nd cake. Everyone began to cheer and congratulate the couple when they saw that the cake was dyed dark blue, signaling that the 2nd baby was an alpha boy.

The couple laughed when they saw that Loki had been right  _ again _ , and kissed each other, excited from the news. 

The banner behind them was unrolled then, with the words “Welcome Liam and Aria!” splayed out on it. They’d already decided on what the names would be depending on the sexes of the children beforehand, so the pair turned to stare up at the banner with tears in their eyes, their hands rubbing at Loki’s stomach affectionately as they met for another loving kiss.

A party attendant quickly took over then and began to hand out slices to everyone, so Loki and Thor took their slices of cake and sat down at a table with Thor’s parents, greeting the couple.

“How do you feel, Loki dear?” Asked Frigga, pure radiance on her face. “Alpha twins!”

Loki laughed softly, a fond smile on his face. “I’m excited. I might deliver them a bit earlier than I did with Aura and Luca since they’re alphas, so Thor and I will need to start searching for midwives.”

Before Frigga could respond, Laufey and Farbauti approached the table, plates of cake in their hands. “Can we sit with you?”

Frigga seemed surprised, but gave off the impression that she didn’t mind, scooting over with Odin to make room for the pair. “Of course, of course.”

Once Loki’s parents were settled at the table, Laufey looked over Loki, an excited smile on his face. “Your father and I were talking about how excited we are that you’re having alphas.”

Loki pursed his lips, trying to keep things peaceful. “Yes, we’re all quite excited.”

“Loki was just speaking about finding a midwife soon.” Filled in Frigga. “He delivered Luca and Aura at home without  _ any _ medication.”

Laufey inhaled sharply, proud of him. “I’m glad that you’ve still retained some aspects of our faith, Loki.”

Thor raised an eyebrow at Loki, confused about this. “Loki, how is having a natural delivery part of your faith?”

Loki bit a lower lip, annoyed with his mother. “Our church believes that birth is a blessing from the Norns, and that our children need to be delivered without intervention.” He reached out and rubbed at Thor’s thigh then, not wanting him to worry. “I didn’t have Luca and Aura at home because of that. I had them at home because  _ I _ wanted to do it.”

Thor relaxed then, feeling a bit better about the situation. He didn’t like when Loki did things to please his family, or when he needlessly suffered because of his personal beliefs due to his religiously strict upbringing.

“Are you going to deliver at home again, Loki dear?” Asked Frigga, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder affectionately.

“I would like to,” Answered Loki. “These are our final children, so I’d like to deliver at home.”

“I should probably stay with you until you deliver, Loki.” Murmured Laufey, taking a bite of his cake. “And you’ll need me to help until the twins are two or three months old.”

Loki shot Thor a worried look, silently begging Thor to tell his mother what they decided.

“Um… Loki and I have actually decided that we’re going to hire a live-in nanny, once the twins are born.” Answered Thor, taking Loki’s hand in his to reassure him. “We’re very thankful that we have you in our lives right now, and would love for you to come over when you can, to help with the children. But Loki and I would feel more comfortable with a live-in nanny, for the time being.”

Laufey’s entire face soured, and he set down his fork, staring at Loki and raising an eyebrow at the omega. “You would really rather a complete stranger live with you, than  _ me _ ?”

“I don’t think that’s what they’re saying, Laufey.” Murmured Frigga, trying to diffuse the conversation. 

“Then what are you saying, Loki?”

“I am saying that I would like you to respect our decision. I am still learning how to trust you, and we’re still repairing our relationship. I am not in a place where I want you living with us for months at a time.” Answered Loki, his tone pleading.  _ “Please  _ respect that.”

Laufey’s face went through a multitude of emotions, and he teared up, wiping at his eyes and taking in a shuddering breath. “I just want to help, Loki! I-I want to be there!”

“You can still help, Laufey,” Murmured Frigga. “Loki still wants you there, he just doesn’t want you to  _ live _ there.”

Laufey sniffed, his lower lip trembling as he looked over at Frigga. “Did they let you stay, when they had Aura and Luca?”

Thor gave his mother a look,  _ begging _ her with his eyes to lie.

“Um…  _ no _ , no they didn’t. I stayed until 3 am the night the twins were born, and because I live down the street, I drove home once I was sure that they boys had everything taken care of.” Lied Frigga. “Thor and Loki wanted to have a live-in nanny too, when they had Luca and Aura.”

This seemed to calm Laufey down, and he nodded, grabbing at a napkin and wiping at his tears. “C-Can I stay the first night, then? Like Frigga did?”

Loki sighed, looking over at Thor before nodding warily. He could see how much this meant to his mother, and figured that he’d let Laufey stay for  _ one _ night. “Sure, Mother.”

Laufey smiled then, which made everyone sigh in relief. “Call me the  _ second _ you go into labor, Loki baby.”

“I will,” Assured Loki. “You’ll be the first one I call.”

Laufey cheered up even more when Loki said this, so the omega sighed in relief, thankful that everything had been smoothed over without his mother causing a scene.

“I’m surprised to see that there was such a large turnout,” Commented Farbauti, looking out at everyone. “I didn’t know you knew so many people, Loki. Are these Thor’s friends?”

Loki frowned, annoyed by the statement. “They’re  _ our _ friends.”

“Yes, Loki has amassed so many friends since giving birth to the twins,” Answered Frigga, trying to keep the peace. “And he’s so happy that you both are here, to share this day with him.”

Loki shot Frigga a grateful look, nodding his head in agreement. “Yes, I am very happy that you, father, and Byleistr are here. It’s a good day.”

“I’m glad we’re here, too…” Murmured Farbauti, staring down at his plate sadly. “It’s always a joy, making new memories.”

Thor was just grateful his mother had stepped in and expertly smoothed things over, so he smiled at Loki’s father, trying to comfort the man. “We’re just happy you’re here, now.”

Farbauti gave Thor an appreciative smile. “Thank you, Thor. That means a lot.”

Loki was glad that a giant argument hadn’t occurred, and rubbed at Thor’s thigh, warmness flooding through him when Thor took his hand and squeezed it affectionately. 

Now that they’d made it through the baby shower without any issues, all they had left was to make it through the delivery.

✬⭒✭⭒✮

Loki went into labor with their alpha twins a month later, at 36 weeks.

Just like promised, he called Laufey first, and told him that he would have a driver come over and pick Laufey up to bring him over to his home. The man tried to convince Loki to let him stay for a few days, but Loki was firm in his decision, telling the omega that he was only able to stay for one night, and one night only.

Laufey ended up relenting -begrudgingly- and told Loki that he would be right over, so after calling Frigga and letting her know, Loki went through his labor, making sure to stay calm, stress free, and distracted.

He only labored for 10 hours before giving birth -their daughter Aria was born first, with Liam being born second- and was  _ exhausted _ after the ordeal, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep.

He wanted to introduce Luca and Aura to their siblings though, and needed to feed the twins before falling asleep.

Frigga was currently holding Aria -the baby had beautiful brown hair and sage eyes- while Laufey was holding Liam -who had golden hair and blue eyes, just like Thor. Aria looked more like a blend between them, and Liam looked more similarly to Loki, which the pair found amusing.

Thor went to go get the toddlers, and once they entered the room they ran over to Loki, catapulting onto his bed. 

“Guys, you have to be  _ careful!” _ Stressed Thor, rushing over to Loki’s side. “Mommy is still sore; you can’t jostle him.”

Luca inhaled sharply, beginning to tear up. “Did I hurt you, Mommy?!”

Aura whimpered too, her eyes watering with tears. “I’m sorry, Mommy!”

Loki rushed to calm the children, shooting Thor an annoyed look for raising his voice at the twins and making them cry. “No, you didn’t hurt me. Mommy’s just fine.”

The toddlers were now crying, and wept in their hands, too afraid to hug Loki because they believed that they would hurt him. Thor felt bad now, and sat down on the bed, picking up the toddlers and plopping them into his lap. “Papa’s sorry, Papa didn’t mean to scare you.”

The toddlers wailed in Thor’s arms, completely inconsolable.

Loki shot Thor another frustrated look before stretching in bed, rubbing at Luca and Aura’s backs. “Everything’s okay, guys. You didn’t hurt Mommy, Papa didn’t mean to yell.”

The toddlers whimpered, wiping at their tears and crawling over to hug Loki.

Thor felt like shit for making the children cry, and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Guys, Papa’s sorry. Papa’s  _ really _ sorry.”

“I don’t wanna hurt Mommy!” Wept Luca and Aura, clinging onto Loki.

“You’re not going to hurt Mommy,” Murmured Thor, rubbing at his children’s backs soothingly. “You won’t hurt Mommy. You just have to be careful because he’s sore. Okay?”

Aura sniffed, wiping at her eyes. “O-Okay.”

“Why is Mommy hurting?” Asked Luca, wiping at his tears and looking up at Thor. 

“Because having a baby is painful, and it takes time for your body to recover.” Answered Laufey, coming forward with Liam in his arms. “Say hi to your brother, Luca and Aura. You have to be quiet so that you don’t wake him up.”

Luca wiped at his eyes before wiping at Aura’s tears, hugging his sister. “It’s okay, Aura.”

Aura nodded and hugged Luca back, kissing him. “Grandma said we have to be quiet.”

It always made Thor and Loki proud to see how much their children loved each other, and the parents kissed their children’s temples, relieved that they were calmed down. Luca and Aura stared at their younger brother in awe.

Frigga brought Aria over to the bed as well, setting the baby down low enough so that Luca and Aura could greet her. “This is your sister Aria.”

The twins took turns kissing their younger siblings, stroking at their small, round faces and giggling. “They’re so little!” Laughed Aura, bending over to kiss her brother’s face again.

“They look like a doll, Mommy.” Observed Luca, taking his younger sister’s hand in his. “So tiny.”

This made Loki snort, and he yawned behind his hand, wanting to feed the babies so that he could sleep. “Can you get my nursing pillow, Thor?”

“Of course, omega.” Murmured Thor, reaching to grab the pillow and helping Loki settle it around himself. He then carefully handed the babies to Loki one at a time, smiling fondly as he saw his children all nestled against Loki.

He was really proud about how far they’d come as a couple, and watched Luca and Aura interact with Loki and their younger siblings, taking a moment to be thankful for the fact that he had the family that he had now. He always thought that he’d be a lonely old man with no one to love, and now… now he had a wife, he had children, and he was happier than he ever believed he could be.

And he smiled to himself as he thought about how relieved he was that he’d lied to Freyr that day, so many years ago. Being the worst liar in existence had gotten him a life that he never knew he wanted till he got it, and he was very pleased with where things were in his life.

He wouldn’t change a thing.

  
  
  
** _Fin_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO this is the end!
> 
> This has been an amazing, beautiful, LONG journey, and I'm so very grateful for each and every one of you. I didn't plan on this story being so long, and I originally planned for this story to have a much more dramatic plot, but I like how this story turned out.
> 
> Thank you for your consistent support throughout the year that I've been writing this story!
> 
> ALSO
> 
> I need friends, so come talk to me on discord (Monet123#6184) if you feel comfortable doing so. I swear I'm super friendly!
> 
> Much love to all of you! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out many of my other works in the Thorki fandom, please :D
> 
> Indemnify- Stripped of his birthright at a young age, Thor believed that life as he knew it was a life that would never be his again. He believed that he would spend the rest of his days as the leader of a guild; nothing more, nothing less. And he would've gone his entire life believing these lies had his path not crossed with Loki, a tempting Sorcerer with a sharp tongue that is determined to receive everything he's ever wanted in life, and is hell-bent on using Thor to get it. ( A story with a darker Loki and darker Thor, set in a fantasy-world AU.) https://archiveofourown.org/works/22975690/chapters/54925120
> 
> Ørlǫglauss (Fateless)- Trapped in an abusive marriage with an alpha mobster boss, omega Loki manages to escape with their toddler alpha son Sleipnir to finally live a life of freedom. The omega ends up catching the curious eye of alpha mob boss Thor Odinson, who can’t seem to stop coming into the shithole diner he’s managed to pick up shifts at. There’s just something about the golden-haired alpha that draws Loki to his side, but… he can’t trust himself to act on his feelings. Not again. He just can’t risk falling in love again, only to end up back in the same situation he was in before. It seems that Thor isn’t too keen on taking “no” for an answer, though… https://archiveofourown.org/works/23726428/chapters/56976340
> 
> Indulgence- A Nordic marriage AU full of shameless kink smut, with our beautiful Jotun boy and our handsome Aesir Prince. https://archiveofourown.org/works/25757731/chapters/62553427
> 
> A Match Made In Valhalla - Arranged Marriage/ Matchmaking AU with Older! Thor and Younger! Loki https://archiveofourown.org/works/21338431/chapters/50822254
> 
> Within the Frost of My Heart - A Jotun! Thor and Jotun! Loki Nordic Myth AU. After rejecting King Thrym's advances for marriage one too many times, Loki is forced into marriage with a brutish outcast in their realm as punishment; the quarter-Aesir Thor Odinson. Loki believes that the life that awaits him is a cruel one; one where his autonomy as a being is stripped away, and he is forced to live a life of pain and suffering. Only... Thor is none of the things that he has been made out to be by their people. And Loki couldn't help but slowly become enthralled by him. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17855681/chapters/42135986
> 
> Under the Full Moon - Werewolf AU where Thor and Loki are both princes of their realms, and forced into an arranged marriage and arranged mating. https://archiveofourown.org/works/15437409/chapters/35832777
> 
> Hey, I Think I Love You - Loki and Thor are both middle-aged, successful businessmen with lives heading nowhere. Best friends since they could remember, they've been through everything that two people possibly can together, except... dating. And after a passionate night spent between the sheets, the two must decide where to go from there, and if changing their relationship is even worth the risk. Couple this in with the fact that these are two emotionally starved and lonely adults, one can only begin to picture the tumultuous relationship that is now Thor and Loki. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16040567/chapters/37443371
> 
> In Time - College A/B/O AU, Modern setting https://archiveofourown.org/works/14710367/chapters/33995930
> 
> I Won’t Give Up On You - Modern Highschool AU. Loki's the super smart 16-year-old valedictorian of his senior class. Thor's the always present popular captain of the football team. Against all odds, the two manage to ignore everybody and remain best friends. Until Thor Confesses his feelings for him. And two lines on a pregnancy test changed everything. https://archiveofourown.org/works/15266346/chapters/35412195


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